Fans Flock to Soul Café

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EATS | DRINKS | SWEETS

Fancy Toast with House Potatoes

Fans Flock to Soul Cafe

Pear Affair Salad

Blackened Salmon Slider, Crispy Tofu Kabob and Fancy Toast

ESTHER ALLWEISS INGBER

In-person dining resumes at kosher dairy eatery.

ESTHER ALLWEISS INGBER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

When news got out that Soul Cafe in West Bloomfield would reopen on April 12, their fanbase was ready.

I’m told that business was so good the first week, staff had to stop taking walk-ins on the following Sunday because the restaurant was fully booked.

Rotated artwork brightens white walls in Soul Cafe’s airy dining room that has the feeling of a gallery. Large groups still gather at a high-top butcher-block table for 14. Fewer regular tables are available than before, spaced apart for pandemic safety. Outdoors, besides seating on the heated covered patio, another option are the two four-top tables placed inside clear medium-weight plastic structures with windows.

There are several cool things to say about Soul Cafe, located within the Farber Soul Center on Drake Road, nearly a mile north of the Jewish Community Center. One is that Soul Cafe offers tasty, imaginative food that also happens to be kosher dairy. Yes, “tasty” and “imaginative” do go with “kosher.” The upshot is that nearly everyone can feel confident ordering from the restaurant’s all-day breakfast and lunch menu. Accompanying meals, or to enjoy separately, are non-alcoholic beverages that include Chazzano Coffee Roasters, Starbucks Coffee, espresso drinks and smoothies.

The mission of the Farber Soul Center is also cool. A project of Friendship Circle, affiliated with Lubavitch of Michigan, the Soul Center provides an inclusive environment for adults with special needs. Clients receive guidance to create, and sometimes sell, fine arts they make in Soul Center’s Dresner Foundation Soul Studio. Interested individuals learn restaurant skills for pay at Soul Cafe, brainchild of Friendship Circle director and co-founder Bassie Shemtov.

Shemtov, married to Rabbi Levi Shemtov, oversees Soul Center. Shalom Shomer, director of kosher operations for Milk & Honey/Epic Kosher Catering, is general manager at Soul Cafe’s dairy kosher kitchen. The Council of Orthodox Rabbis provides supervision.

“We offer healthy, fresh kosher food for everyone in a warm, non-judgmental environment,” said Shemtov.

Soul Cafe welcomed back customers with a new menu. Chefs Kelly Ambrosi and Zebadiah Versele were wise, however, to keep the Ancient Grains Salad. My favorite dish features dates, caramelized shallots, sweet potato, quinoa, green apple, seeds, greens and silan vinaigrette. Try it with salmon on top.

I again enjoyed salmon in Blackened Salmon Sliders, served inside pretzel buns. Chef Zeb is especially proud of their House Made Veggie Burger — brown rice and walnut patty, mushrooms, pickled red onion, spinach, chive aioli on a Dakota Bread challah bun. Friendship Circle’s purchase of the Dakota Bread bakery gives clients more job training opportunities.

The surprising Polenta Squares had pickled mustard seeds that resemble couscous. Another winner is Fancy Toast, including ricotta cheese, poached pear slices, pomegranates, toasted hazelnuts, fresh thyme and honey drizzle on Dakota Bread Grains Galore.

Dinner service starts next month. Reserve now for a fixed-price, family-style Mother’s Day brunch on Sunday, May 9.

SOUL CAFE

at Friendship Circle’s Farber Soul Center 5586 Drake Road West Bloomfield, MI 48322 Phone: (248) 788-7400 friendshipcircle.org/soul $$$½ out of $$$$$

Yogurt Bowl and Cinnamon Swirl French Toast