Ema

Ema Restaurant Review:

About the restaurant & décor: "Top Chef" alum CJ Jacobson teamed with Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants to open Ēma. The diners reflect the activities of the neighborhood; hotel guests at the onsite Aloft, date nighters or professionals grabbing a light lunch or after-work drink. The dining room feels very West Coast (the chef is from Orange County) with its verdant palette of green, neutral and woods, plus greens embedded in the ceiling.

Likes: The healthy fare and cheery atmosphere.
Dislikes: Its brightness might be off-putting to those who prefer their dining rooms dark and moody.

Food & Drinks: The Mediterranean restaurant serves up an array of spreads, greens and ancient grains (Meyer lemon and bulgur risotto, for example), mezze (falafel, crispy broccoli, etc.), kebabs and larger plates for the table (lamb osso buco, fish of the day). Rotisserie chicken, flavored with paprika, turmeric and orange-fennel jus, is a house specialty, so much so that they've devoted a whole part of the restaurant to a quick casual takeout just for the poultry as well as the delicious salads. Save room for a sweet finish in the sticky date cake, complemented by the house dessert wines including a 20-year-aged Dow's Tawny Port. A global wine list pulls from California, Israel and Europe.