Meals and mitzvot

By Deb Silverthorn
The tables are filling with guests and the online shopping carts are full at Kosher Palate, the North Dallas restaurant and grocery owned by Chaim and Miriam Goldfeder.
The Goldfeders recently underwrote the cost of shipping more than 50 boxes of fruits and vegetables to distribute free to people in need.
“This community has been good to us and however we can we try to give back, no questions asked,” said Chaim Goldfeder. “I believe we’re a community resource and if we can’t help, why are we here?”
The boxes of produce were shipped from Minneapolis and donated to that community by Agudath Israel Illinois.
“The gifts of this nourishment came about through a tremendous confluence of partners,” said Agudath Israel Minnesota Co-President Rabbi Yehoshua “JB” Borenstein. “Together, our singular focus was to work together to move the ‘ball down the field,’ and feed as many people in need as possible.”
Rabbi Borenstein said Jewish leadership in Chicago and Minneapolis were aware of the Goldfeders’ reputation of dedication and devotion to those in need. From Hurricane Harvey to October’s tornado in Dallas and in many private cases, the Kosher Palate has showed up to feed thousands.
During the pandemic, Kosher Palate has scheduled early shopping hours from 9 to 10 a.m. on Thursdays. for at-risk shoppers, and has created an online shopping cart with order pickup in-store, curbside or by delivery through Mercato.com.
“We’re always on top of the cleanliness of our place but now there’s special and additional attention to door handles, shopping carts and counters between customers,” said Goldfeder. He also pointed out that hand sanitizer stations are available and masks are required for employees and customers.
Palate Grill, the newly designed restaurant side of the Goldfeders’ foodery, which closed just before Passover, has reopened with a new setup, menu and chef.
“To say she has passion in the kitchen, is an understatement,” Goldfeder said of Millicent Pursley, who joined the Kosher Palate team this spring. “I couldn’t be prouder of what we’re serving and our customers are enjoying every bite.”
Pursley, a northern California native, learned how to cook from her Southern-born grandmother, Clarissa. Pursley studied at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts before working in many of the Bay area’s top restaurants.
She moved to the Dallas-Fort Worth area in January, with her partner Ashley and daughter Mi, and ultimately landed the job at the Palate Grill.
The restaurant’s menu of popular smoked meats has been updated with new favorites including a Reuben sandwich with homemade sauerkraut, a charcuterie platter with housemade smoked sausage, roasted bone marrow and house salami, smoked honey habanero wings and a sizzling ribeye steak.
Almost all sauces, condiments and dressings are now made in-house. The restaurant is observing COVID-19 safety measures for in-house dining and offers to-go items at the counter, curbside or via Grubhub. (Before deciding to dine on the patio or inside, check for the most current pandemic practices.)
“Every restaurant has a kitchen but the ‘mom and pop’ dedication of Chaim and Miriam is what makes this special,” said Pursley. “It was already wonderful, but they’ve allowed me to bring my ideas and experience. No one else is doing what we do and I’m happy every day I’m in the kitchen knowing that our customers are likely trying something new.”