Emma's Torch

Cuisine American (New)
Price $$ (16-30)
Rating 5/10
Last Visit Jan. 19, 2019
Location New York: Brooklyn
General Notes

This is a very interesting restaurant with a good cause. They specifically hire a lot of refugees who otherwise would have a very hard time finding a job. They empower them through culinary training, and allow their students to incorporate their own cultures into the food. Perhaps as a result, this restaurant definitely has a bit more of a Mediterranean or Middle Eastern flair to it. Based on my limited experience, the food is mediocre but I like the cause, the service is excellent, and the decor is nice.

Positives

> Amazing friendly service, with a cute interior decor
> This is a cause which I can truly stand behind. Food is something that bridges everyone together, and empowering refugees through culinary training is a great way to bridge refuges and immigrant students with society.

Negatives

> The food itself was pretty mediocre (although maybe I just ordered the wrong dishes)
> They messed up my check (shakshuka was $15 instead of $14), but they were pretty courteous and fixed it as soon as I mentioned the issue.

Dishes Tasted
  • ★★☆☆ Shakshuka -- Poached eggs, tomato/peppers sauce, served over crispy rice. The eggs were poached well (extremely soft-poached). I liked the large amount of parsley, and the overall flavor of the tomato sauce was decent. However, the rice was disappointing - undercooked, flavorless, and not crispy at all. The dish as a whole direly lacked seasoning and a savory component - the tomato sauce could be less watery and the rice needed more fat/crispness to it. It was also strange that the egg was cooked separately.
  • ★★★☆ Thunder Dragon Green Tea -- Interesting, somewhat subtle flavor. I would definitely steep for a bit longer than the 2 minutes they recommend.
Shakshuka