52 | APRIL 29 • 2021 

W

hen 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 butch-
er-block table for 14. Fewer 
regular tables are available than 
before, spaced apart for pan-
demic 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 “imagina-
tive” 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-al-
coholic 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 environ-

ment 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 individ-
uals 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, direc-
tor of kosher operations for 
Milk & Honey/Epic Kosher 
Catering, is general manager at 
Soul Cafe’s dairy kosher kitch-
en. The Council of Orthodox 
Rabbis provides supervision.
“We offer healthy, fresh 
kosher food for everyone in a 
warm, non-judgmental envi-
ronment,
” 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 shal-

lots, 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, pomegran-
ates, 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. 

NOSH
EATS | DRINKS | SWEETS

In-person dining resumes 
at kosher dairy eatery.

ESTHER ALLWEISS INGBER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Fans Flock to
Soul Cafe

ESTHER ALLWEISS INGBER

SOUL CAFE

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

Blackened 
Salmon Slider, 
Crispy Tofu 
Kabob and 
Fancy Toast

Fancy Toast with
House Potatoes

Yogurt Bowl and 
Cinnamon Swirl 
French Toast

Pear Affair
Salad

