Now that I’m living in the Big Apple, I often get intense cravings for some of the good ole’ southern cooking from the Big Easy.  Every Monday, I just want to stuff my face with red beans and rice with sausages and fried chicken.  But unfortunately, since I’m in NYC, it’s not as easy to get..  One of my favorite restaurants in New Orleans for lunch is Cafe Reconcile.

The mission of Cafe Reconcile is “to fuel economic vitality and growth in Central City and the greater New Orleans metropolitan area by working together with businesses, nonprofit organizations, and people of faith to create jobs, support community development through youth workforce development programs, and encourage entrepreneurship and home ownership in socio-economically depressed neighborhoods, through the ministry of reconciliation.”

I love Cafe Reconcile because it takes kids off the street (in one of the worse neighborhoods) and gives them the skills to succeed in the restaurant business.  Cafe Reconcile creates 6-week programs for nearly a dozen students, most of which come from poverty.  There have been close to 400 students that went through the program within the last 7 years.  And if that doesn’t convince you about “Soul Food”, check out the menu.  The Tuesday special of Smothered Pork Chops with a side of mac & cheese and jalapeno cornbread sounds REALLY good right about now…