Emma's Country Kitchen

I finally had a chance to visit one of my favourite brunch spots at the new location! I was doing a trial boot camp class nearby, and of course, what better way is there to treat yourself after bootcamp than with brunch!

Restaurant: Emma's Country Kitchen
Location: Corso Italia
Meal: Brunch
Day: Monday
Son's Age: 10 months

I've been obsessed with Emma's buttermilk biscuits pretty much ever since I moved into the neighbourhood, so I was really excited to see what the new space looked like. The place is definitely bigger, so it can accommodate more traffic, and I believe they now have a liquor license. How was the experience, though?

Accessibility: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Heads up - this is another restaurant that has an IKEA high chair!

I always prefer these high chairs because they just feel more secure than the typical wooden restaurant high chairs. The downside is that if your baby is too small to sit up, you can't just flip it over to set your car seat down, but I've probably only done that once ever so the lack of that feature doesn't bother me. The other good news is that the washroom has a proper change table!

It's in a spot that I suspect could have been another stall instead, but I applaud the accommodation. The one downside is that the washroom is now located downstairs. That's right - the new location is no longer stroller friendly. 

Service: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Service here has always been excellent, and the new location did not impact that. I asked for some hot water to heat up my son's food, and they brought me a coffee mug. 

It was actually the perfect size for my baby cube! Overall the servers were always extremely friendly, and either they all really love their jobs or they're really great actors. I always feel welcome whenever I come. 

Food: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Did I mention the buttermilk biscuits? I ordered Emma's benny, which is my favourite thing here. 

Poached eggs are served over peameal bacon on the infamous buttermilk biscuits, covered in mousseline sauce. Usually they are served with red skin potatoes, which I highly recommend. I chose to substitute them with fruit salad. I like to pretend it's because I'm healthy, but who am I kidding? My son really loves fruit, and he actually ate almost that whole bowl! Don't worry, I cut all the grapes in half before I gave them to him (sidebar: moms really love to judge other moms, don't they?). There was a great mix of fruit, so if you do prefer to be healthy, this is a great alternative to the potatoes. 

Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½

This is one of my favourite brunch places in the city and you really have to come here and give it a try. The restaurant is very baby friendly, albeit not stroller friendly, and everyone on the staff is so helpful. One important thing to note: I don't know what the weekends look like at this new location, but in the past there was always a significant line up and they don't take reservations. The weekdays seem pretty safe, though, if you prefer to avoid the wait. Don't forget to try a donut if you have the chance!