Restaurant: Emma's Country Kitchen
Location: Corso Italia
Meal: Brunch
Day: Wednesday
Son's Age: 13 weeks
Weekdays here are vastly different from weekends in that I had my choice of table (in theory), whereas on weekends there is typically a line going out the door. The restaurant itself is very charming and somehow distinctly feels like a live action version of Diner Dash - while waiting in line, there are newspapers on the counter to read and you can order something to drink while you're waiting. Also, on weekends they have the most fantastic donuts with unusual flavours like maple bacon or cookies 'n' cream. I digress, of course, because as I am describing their weekends, this particular visit was firmly in the middle of the week.
Accessibility: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I said earlier that I had my pick of table in theory. This is because I still came with my baby in a stroller so the fine print is that I needed to sit at a table where my stroller wouldn't block the aisle. Luckily, this was not a problem.
I had no issues navigating the stroller to my table. The washroom also had a change table available.
Unfortunately, I removed a star because the single washrooms are quite small (hopefully this will be corrected at the new location), so I could not fit the stroller into the washroom and also use the change table. Luckily, the staff is very friendly (more on that later) so I felt comfortable leaving my stroller outside while I brought my son's car seat into the washroom.
Service: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Whenever I come to Emma's, I always see the same two ladies working here, and the last time I was here I was visibly pregnant and was told that I absolutely must bring my baby in once I'd given birth. When I walked in the door, I was a bit disappointed to see that neither of them were working, and a gentleman I had never seen was my server. Luckily, it appears that they are quite consistent in hiring pleasant servers, because he was extremely friendly and helpful. At one point, I had to breastfeed my son, but I was still hungry, so I fed him under a cover cradling him with one arm and continued to eat my brunch with my other. The couple at the next table were visibly uncomfortable and quickly scarfed down their food and bolted. This has nothing to do with the restaurant, of course, but I mention it because I started feeling ashamed about it for a split second, even thoigh breastfeeding is natural and no one should be embarrassed to feed their baby in public. My shame quickly subsided when my server pleasantly came by to refill my coffee as if everything was normal, also asking if I needed anything else, and noted that I was still working on my plate. It seems like such a small thing but it made me feel infinitely better. Once I had finished eating, he followed me to the door and held it open so I could push the stroller out. The experience was a perfect example of excellent service.
Food: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
If you didn't figure it out from my intro, I love the food here. As soon as they reopen, you need to come here immediately. I ordered the break-wich sandwich and a side of watermelon salad.
The photo does not do it justice. This place has the best buttermilk biscuits ever; it's as if they melt in your mouth. The sandwich is customizable, and I had mine with an over easy eggs, bacon, and cheddar cheese. The watermelon salad had mint, cucumber, feta cheese, and balsamic vinaigrette, and it perfectly hit the spot on such a hot summer day. Bonus points: the coffee is bottomless.
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½
Obviously, I love this place. I'm sad that they are closed, even if only temporarily. This restaurant has amazing food and amazing service, which I'm sure will carry over to the new location. The only thing that needs improvement is the size of the washroom, so hopefully this will be fixed after the move, but if not, it wasn't a particularly large hindrance on my overall experience. Keep an eye out - they should be reopening in August.
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