An updated review for an updated venue...
Emma's used to be between Northcliffe and Lauder but has now moved just a bit east to between Atlas and Arlington. They're still on the north side of St. Clair but now east of Oakwood as opposed to west of Oakwood. The move was not very far... like 3 street car stops.
The new location seems a little larger I suppose. It seems to have more tables as a footprint and the counter's on the right side as opposed to the left side. It does however seem a little darker inside. I think the other place just felt brighter.
The goodies through the display window at the front counter is just a sight still. This go around they had their hallmark biscuit tray behind the glass as well as some attractive looking sugar doughnuts and other such things.
The staff is professional and very friendly. I love the fact that they work as a team to make sure everything is just right such as drinks being topped off and that there isn't a thing we need at any time.
Emma's is now (after just last year) the new birthday breakfast/brunch place for my wife and I on her birthday. Really it starts off the special day this year as it did last year and will continue to do so until I decide that it won't. I think I want to keep coming here every year. We don't live that close but for a weekday it was still a busy place around 10am and we had to wait for a table but only a few minutes.
The menu this go around seemed to be more static as opposed to last year in that it was a printed menu with items that looked to be staples as opposed to "whatever is in season" like our first visit last year. I could be wrong but it didn't matter. What we had this go around was still very good. Their food is just special. Think of a place you would commonly have breakfast at or a place that is overly available anywhere you go like a McD's or Denny's or something and then think of what the opposite of that may be... to me that would be this place Emma's.
Their food is just plain better. It's above your average place because this place is not average so by definition they are above average and in my opinion, well above average to the point they are great. Their potatoes for instance in my Emma's Benny that were on the side... they were just a better, more tastier side of potatoes... and that's just the potatoes. Their benny came with what was referred to as "mousseline" sauce. I had to ask the server what that was because I just didn't know. It was explained to me by our server that's it's a richer hollandaise because they use cream to make it... umm ya I'm sold.
Their peameal bacon on top of their biscuits (as opposed to English muffins) were simply divine. I had noticed that their take on a bloody caesar which I wanted to order but was denied (I didn't know it was only 10:19am so shoot me) came with a Sanagan's pepperette for a dollar more. I wanted to order this but it was too early... you know the law and stuff.
My wife had ordered the pear and almond baked oatmeal and I had a taste. Ya it was divine. I only had a taste but my dish was the definition of savory (eggs benny) and hers was sweet with a thick consistency. My wife also ordered 2 biscuits on the side with butter and preserves. She loves biscuits what can I say? It's the reason we came here last year to be honest. She loves those biscuits...
Now this being only our second time to Emma's and the first time in the new location I want to see if we can come here on a weekend when it's not her birthday for brunch.
To put it simply Emma's doesn't feel like they're making food for the masses but rather it feels like I'm eating a homemade breakfast in somebody's home and that person happens to be a kick ass chef. Everything about what they do and serve just says "care".