Table for Two 7-5
Clock Tower Cafe
Rating: 
Most patrons have discovered it by accident when the nearby chain drugstore lot is crowded, or by searching the Internet for organic foods. The bright, friendly shop is worth seeking out, particularly for the health-conscious diner.
We decided to pick up a light meal to go on a Friday evening since they are only open until 6 p.m.
After viewing the offerings in a glass display case and talking with the friendly staff, the Dessert Hound waited for her order at one of the four tables. She admired the avocado green walls, white wood trim, and photos and drawings hung on the walls. Beautiful glass lights shaped like flowers hung over the tables.
The glass-top tables allowed a view of the painted checkerboard pedestal table with its matching black, wooden chairs.
No diners were using the two outdoor tables at this hour, but the server mentioned that they did a good lunch business.
We got some insight into the concept of the café after speaking with the staff. The owner has the nearby Clock Tower Farm and uses the salad greens and other items grown there in the food.
The cooks don’t use any refined sugar, and the whole-grain flour is ground on the premises.
Some gluten-free cookies are available, and other dietary restrictions can be accommodated with advance notice.
The proof, of course, is in the pudding, or the pizza, in this case. We had to reheat the food at home, since there were other errands to attend to before dinner.
In keeping with the natural and eco-friendly theme of the restaurant, they even wrapped the to-go food in a BioBag that was environmentally friendly, fully biodegradable and compostable.
We started with the three-cheese pizza ($6.75) which was a 10-inch round of crispy, whole-wheat crust topped with a good sauce and flavorful blend of cheeses. The combination worked, but we left the ends of the crust, which had a bit too strong of a wheat flavor for us.
Our next course was a half of a roasted vegetable sandwich with a side salad ($6.50), which we chose from several options.
The tender peppers, onions, squash and mushroom slices were paired with a generous layer of hummus on thick but light wheat bread slices.
The recently added offering, an apple salad with pine nuts in pumpkin seed oil, included green leaf lettuce from the farm and gala apples.
A barbecue chicken flatbread ($6.75) looked like the pizza. A spicy hot barbecue sauce and shredded dark and white meat chicken were topped with a bit too many caramelized onions for our taste, but the overall verdict was tasty.
The pretzel ($1.25) may be a hard sell to Philly traditionalists, since the long twist was made with finely ground whole-wheat flour.
We enjoyed it with the addition of some Dijon mustard from our refrigerator.
For dessert, we tried a cinnamon twist ($1.25) with a buttery, sweet cinnamon coating that satisfied both of us.
Organic chocolates, teas and sodas are offered, as well as homemade yogurt with fresh baked granola ($3.50) and smoothies ($3.50).
For coffee lovers, cappuccino ($2.25 to $2.95) and espresso ($1.25 to $1.95) are also available to complement the wide array of sweets for the morning crowd.
Delicious, healthy food made with local ingredients at Clock Tower Cafe earns an overall rating of: 4 forks (out of 5).
The Dining Duo base their reviews on unannounced anonymous visits.
Clock Tower Cafe Location: 1776 E. Lancaster Ave., Paoli Phone Number: 610-651-0505 Cuisine: Sandwiches, pizzas and baked goods Ambience: Bright, comfortable cafe
Hours: Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Prices: Appetizers, soups $3.50 to $7; Entrées $6 to $7 Alcoholic Beverages: B.Y.O.B. Special features: Natural, organic food Web site: www.ClockTowerFoods.com
