By Bryan Simo, Staff Writer
After school, the students of River Hill often like to meet up with friends and hang out at the local businesses and shopping centers, with one of the most popular being Clarksville Commons. Clarksville Commons is a gathering space within walking distance of the school that offers a variety of food options, a decorative outdoor space, services such as a hair salon and orthodontist, as well as events throughout the year. One of the most unique aspects of the location has to be the Common Kitchen, an international food hall that supports several food vendors from a variety of cultures. Considering all the Commons has to offer, naturally, shopping there can become very pricey, especially for a high school student. This raises the question as to whether going to Clarksville Commons is actually worth it?
Senior Griffin Millstein strongly believes that it’s not. “It’s overpriced and the food’s not even that good,” he says. Citing his experience at the Common Kitchen’s Tasty Empanadas restaurant for his claims. “Fifteen bucks for three empanadas is ridiculous,” he explains, even going as far as to claim that “they’re not even that good.” Senior Veer Tuliani shares a similar experience with a Common Kitchen restaurant, Namaste Foodie, an Indian street food vendor. He explains how “the quality of the food just wasn’t worth the price.” Veer paid seven dollars for a mango lassi, a traditional Indian yogurt beverage usually served sweet or salty and “it came in… an eight ounce cup and was way too salty,” adding that “not even [his] friends could finish it.” Despite his experience, Veer still enjoys going to the Commons with his friends. “It’s definitely overpriced, but I still enjoy the atmosphere and food options,” he says, and others seem to agree.
Senior Luca Sambat says he “enjoys the diversity of the food options,” with the Manow Thai restaurant being his favorite. Manow Thai is a dine-in Thai restaurant located in Clarksville Commons. Luca enjoys this spot specifically because of the fair price. “I like the egg fried rice, and I think it’s decently priced,” he explains. Other students like senior Zayan Foyez have also found restaurants within the Commons that are reasonably priced. “I got a beef bulgogi bowl for fifteen bucks,” he says. Further explaining how “it might seem overpriced but the portion was massive, so I’m not upset.”
It seems like the students of River Hill can agree that Clarksville Commons can be a hit or miss, but despite this factor, that doesn’t stop the loyal supporters of the area. Luca believes that “the price can be much at times,” but that hasn’t stopped him from coming there with friends. Senior Gregory Park agrees, adding that, “it’s still a nice place to hang out.” Despite the price, Clarksville Commons has become a staple in the Clarksville area and will continue to be one the most popular spots near the school.