Author: Madeline Mahoney

Photographer: Karina Mak

My favorite time of year has come around once again! From Friday, January 20th, through Sunday, February 5th, Chicago celebrated its 16th annual Chicago Restaurant Week. Over the course of these 17 glorious days, 335 participating restaurants offer special prix fixe menus costing $25 for brunch or lunch and $42 and/or $59 for dinner. For my restaurant week experience, I decided to go to Ēma, the well-known Mediterranean restaurant in River North, for their $25 brunch.

Ēma has a clean and simple yet inviting aesthetic. Fun lighting fixtures, long curtains, and plants all contribute to the atmosphere. Though we had to wait a little while before we could get seated, there was space in the entryway to sit. Between the difficulty of securing a reservation and the number of patrons, it's clear Ēma is a popular choice! The service was good, which is especially impressive considering how busy it was.

Drinks

We began with drinks. The Restaurant Week menu offered three drink options: 1) Aperitif Pilsner, a beer from a local brewery 2) Do Not Disturb, a refreshing cocktail; and 3) Pomegranate Backsplash, a zero-proof option. Having yet to acquire a taste for beer, I opted for the Do Not Disturb, while Karina, my photographer and brunch date, chose the Pomegranate Backsplash. The Do Not Disturb consisted of vodka, St. Germain, mint, cucumber, and lemon. If you’ve read my Hugo Spritz cocktail recipe, you already know I am a big fan of St. Germain! Surprisingly, this was my first time trying a cocktail with cucumber, and I loved how refreshing it was. There was a balance of flavors between the sweetness, citrus, and refreshing quality of the mint and cucumber. The Pomegranate Backsplash was another refreshing and citrusy option with a nice fizz. Both options had an aesthetic appeal.

Starters

For our starters, we chose brussels sprouts and crispy potatoes (forgoing the hummus, charred eggplant, and green falafel options). These turned out to be great choices. The brussel sprouts were undoubtedly a standout dish. The sherry glaze added sweetness, the pumpkin seeds provided a nice crunch, and the brussels sprouts were perfectly charred. The crispy potatoes were another great choice. The crispiness lived up to its name, and it was well complemented by a creamy scallion sauce. The potato chunks were large, and I would not have minded if they had been half the size. I appreciated the generous portion sizes for both dishes.

Mains

For our main courses, we went with the halva french toast and the chicken kefta and eggs. Halva is a candy originating in the Middle East that has a rich, nutty, and sweet flavor. For the halva french toast, the halva came in the form of a spread which offered a lovely earthy flavor without being overly sweet. The pile of fresh berries was both a tasty and attractive choice. Unfortunately, however, the bread was quite dry, to the point of being challenging to cut through. The chicken kefta was also slightly underwhelming. The chicken had a good, lemony flavor and was served atop aromatic rice. However, it was quite oily. The cucumbers and tomatoes on the side added a nice balance to the richness of the rest of the dish, but still nothing too special.

Conclusions

Overall, I enjoyed my trip to Ēma to experience their Chicago Restaurant Week brunch menu. While the main dishes we tried left something to be desired, the drinks and starters were great choices. (Definitely get the brussels sprouts if you visit!) Not to mention, the Chicago Restaurant Week price eases any disappointments and provides a great opportunity to try new spots. I am already looking forward to the next one!

Ema Chicago Restaurant Week