Critique of the week: Sammy’s Cafe

Jay Arcansalin/UVU Review

For those of you who haven’t been courageous enough to wander into the depths of Zoobieville (the campus of Brigham Young University and the perimeter that surrounds it) let me tell you about a nice little place called Sammy’s.

Located just off of Provo Center Street – Utah County’s best attempt at a night life scene – Sammy’s is clearly aimed towards the college crowd, the jury-rigged iPod stereo system blasting a personal playlist of tunes to a horde of students sitting around a diner-style countertop is evidence enough to support this assertion.

As any patron of Sammy’s will tell you, this place is best known for its pie shakes. For those of you who have fantasized of taking your Thanksgiving dinner and putting it in a blender for whatever reason, Sammy’s may be the incarnation of your fantasy, at least where the Thanksgiving dessert is concerned. Sammy’s offers a full dessert right in a cup by combining the ingredients of a slice of your favorite pie a la mode and blending the sugary confection for a few moments. After the culinary metamorphosis transpires, a generous helping of Whipped Cream is slathered atop the masterpiece. Pie types include Pumpkin Cheesecake (which is my absolute favorite), various fruit  flavored cheese cakes (such as blackberry or raspberry), apple or peach cobbler, and even Mint Oreo.

Sammy’s also offers cupcake milkshakes, the same concept as the pie shakes with the exception of a pie-out cupcake-in substitution. For those who are disinclined to a pastry-based milkshake, Sammy’s offers a score of other types of shakes and beverages (like Italian Ice.)

Sammy’s also prides itself on its gourmet burgers, but I don’t share the feeling. I helped myself to a Big Buddha Burger, which siphoned $7 out of my wallet and multiple napkins from the napkin dispenser. After all, it was a messy burger. Messiness is certainly the mark of a fine burger, and it was good, but not $7 good.

So for a great shake, go to Sammy’s, but if it’s a burger you fancy, try Joe’s Café.