When we passed a restaurant the other night in Bloomfield Center with the name Cafe Yahudah, a menorah in the window and a sign advertising "Southern Soul and Latin Food," we knew there had to be a story. We returned for lunch the next day and discovered that, indeed, there was.
In many respects, Cafe Yahudah looks just like any other no-frills soul food restaurant, with plain laminate tables and wooden chairs and a glass case filled with sinful-looking pies. But then there are the signs declaring "NO PORK, NO BLOOD, NO LARD, NO LECTIN, NO UNCLEAN FISH OR FOWL, MEATS ARE ALSO HALAL." And the menorah, with three books of scriptures in front of it.
The mystery was solved when we learned from our waitress, the daytime manager Johann Williams, that Cafe Yahudah is owned by the New Beginnings Kingdom Fellowship, a Messianic congregation based in Bloomfield. I would learn more about that after lunch, but first the food.
I ordered from "Rincon Latino," the Latin Corner, which served island food: delightful stewed chicken in a tomato-based broth. I was able to substitute one of my favorite foods, fried plantains, for the rice. My dining companions ordered the smothered chicken and fried chicken platters, which came with two sides and corn bread. Except for the plantains and jasmine rice, the sides are traditional soul food staples: candied yams, collards, green beans, onion rings. It was all delivered on trays, after a bit of a wait -- indicating everything was cooked to order -- and delicious. We were the only diners in the restaurant at lunch hour.
After lunch, I took my notebook and sat down with Williams, who did her best to explain her religion and the restaurant. "I see you're wearing a Jewish star," I pointed out.
"A Star of David," she corrected me.
Williams did her best to explain her religion, which is neither Judaism nor Christianity, but contains elements of each. They do light the Chanukah menorah and observe Passover, and Williams, like me, can sound out Hebrew words. But they follow both the New and Old Testaments, and believe that the Messiah came once and will come again.
The congregation of just 15 to 20 souls is split between African Americans and Caribbean Americans, hence the menu. Their dietary laws are more halal than kosher. Despite the prohibitions against pork and unclean fish (which I assume means shellfish), they don't follow the kosher restriction against serving milk with meat.
Williams said the restaurant is not a profit-making venture for the church, but grew out of fourth-Sunday potluck dinners. In addition to providing meals that meets members' dietary requirements, they have homeless customers who eat for free.
Despite some religious iconography, there's no prosyletizing and Cafe Yahudah should be enjoyable for anybody who likes home-cooked Caribbean or soul food, but is willing to skip the pork ribs. Nearby parking is ample. Open seven days a week, with varied closing times. Bloomfield police and firefighters get 10 percent off.
Cafe Yahudah, 61 Washington St. in Bloomfield. 973.748.4700.
"Black Israelites" are fairly common throughout the Caribbean (at least easy to run into), Miami, Tampa and even in Paterson and Newark. Somewhat akin to Rastafarians, but without the whiff of illegality (and something else) one sometimes associates with Rastas. At least one group of them has had its problems with the Israeli authorities, who never quite figured that the "Law of Return" would ever be invoked by such folks.
Never heard of them running a restaurant, however. Now I'll have to drop in. Probably soon, too, since, no matter how good the food is, I can't see this place lasting long in this area.