Join Lou & Liz at Soul Kitchen in Toms River Saturday Evening!

I'm so excited!!! Here's the menu and all the other details on how Soul Kitchen works, in case you haven't been there.

Lou will be all decked out in a tux to greet you and I'll most likely be wearing a Soul Kitchen shirt...(there's the difference between us in a nutshell, lol) but we both agree that we would LOVE to see you come to Soul Kitchen in Toms River (1769 Hooper Ave.) this Saturday evening to join us for a special 4-course Valentine's menu from Chef Rob! They're even staying open an extra hour for dinner!

For a recommended donation of $20 per person (we'll remind you where the money goes later on in this blog) here is the menu that you can choose from Saturday night at the Toms River location of Soul Kitchen:

First Course: Seared Sesame Tuna (Served over an arugula salad with a blueberry white Balsamic vinaigrette)

Second Course: Tomato Basil Coup (with heart-shaped puff pastry)

Third Course: Choice of Pork Loin (served over butternut squash Risotto with a pomegranate reduction), Pistachio Crusted Salmon (served over carrot and parsnip puree and vegetable medley finished with a Chimichurri sauce) or Pulled Chicken (tossed with Farfalle, artichokes, white beans, red kale, roasted garlic, white wine and lemon juice)

Fourth Course: Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Panna Cotta (or a fruit cup.)

All this...plus the ambiance of the 3-piece jazz band Iced Water (Ben -- my son -- along with Paul and David are all teen musicians from Monmouth County who donate their time to worthy causes like this one.)

No reservations required or accepted -- it's first come, first served here with community seating (not individual tables).

Soul Kitchen is not a BYOB, so maybe you'll choose to go out for a cocktail before or after dinner, but you will get a choice of drinks with your meal -- either iced tea, hot tea, coffee (regular or decaf) or water.

For more on JBJ Soul Kitchen's Toms River location, CLICK HERE.

The original JBJ Soul Kitchen, at 207 Monmouth St. in Red Bank, is wonderful as well! CLICK HERE for more on that.

When you are able to help Pay it Forward, Soul Kitchen suggests a $20 donation for your meal. Each $20 donation goes towards meals for those who are unable to donate and have food insecurity.

At Soul Kitchen, the promise is to treat all customers with dignity and respect while uniting community members and forming healthy and lasting relationships through food.

Soul Kitchen is a non-profit restaurant where individuals or families can come for a hot, nutritious meal in a warm, welcoming setting and to meet their neighbors.

Soul Kitchen understands that in these tough times, if you are unable to pay the suggested donation, you may still enjoy a delicious meal. You are invited to volunteer to help out at Soul Kitchen as well as to learn about other resources that Soul Kitchen offers that can help you if you are insecure about where you next meal is coming from or need help with writing a resume and interviewing for a job.

Volunteer opportunities include setting tables or washing dishes. Or, if you have serving experience, you could be a waitress or waiter and serve others. People are needed to bus tables and help clean or stack items. There is also a need to maintain restaurant gardens and the Soul Kitchen Farm.

Although the menu above is especially for the Toms River location for Valentine's day, Soul Kitchen on a regular basis serves a 3-course meal which consists of a soup or salad, followed by a choice of a fish, meat, or vegetarian dish, and finishes with a handmade dessert. Many of the dishes are made with fresh and organic ingredients grown in their Soul Kitchen Garden and Farm. Also included in your meal is unlimited iced tea, coffee, and hot tea.

For more info on the two Soul Kitchen locations and their regular restaurant hours, volunteer opportunities, and more, CLICK HERE!