My friend, Barb, and I make a trek to Clifton Park about every 6 - 8 weeks to shop at Trader Joe's. Our gals' day out starts at lunch, where we often try a new restaurant.
Another friend, Pam, had highly recommended Emma Jayne's Restaurant which is only a couple of traffic lights from Trader Joe's - a perfect location for our trip. The restaurant sits just north of Fred the Butcher (next door, literally) for those who frequent that establishment, on Route 9. There is off-street parking.
When we arrived at 12:30 p.m. on a Tuesday, the front parking spaces were full. (Note: there may be parking around back; I didn't check) We thought we might have to wait for a table. Wrong! The restaurant is surprisingly spacious with two large rooms furnished with tables that were thoughtful spaced apart. A photo of an adorable young girl, whom we assumed was the dining establishment's namesake, was on the wall. Let me be sure to mention that the ladies room, which smelled faintly of bleach, was spotless. I mean REALLY clean!
About the food ... my friend and I shared an appetizer of Fried Calamari. It was an ample portion (took some home) accompanied by sweet chili sauce - a nice change from typical marinara served at other places. However, the calamari was small and overcooked. As a result, what was presented was a plate of small, overly crisp rings of 90% batter. No squid!
For our entrees, Barb chose the Chicken Salad Sandwich. She requested that it be served on a pretzel bun (touted as homemade) for which we were hit with an up-charge of $3.50. The chicken salad had grapes and walnuts in it and Barb liked it very much. The up-charged pretzel roll did not appear to be homemade. Very disappointing. Had she known it would be uninspiring, she would have accepted the brioche roll. Macaroni salad - not very exciting - accompanied the sandwich along with a pickle.
I love seafood and was torn between ordering the Fish and Chips (halibut) and Lobster Pot Pie (an appetizer). Our server, Drew, gets a gold star for suggesting the second one when I told him I wasn't a big eater. Apparently, the halibut, while highly recommended, is a sizable portion. The pot pie was superb! The rich, creamy sauce was divine. I couldn't eat it all and will enjoy the rest of it for lunch today.
Emma Jayne's menu has something for everyone. Our server, Drew, was informative and attentive. While we may make other food choices (skip the calamari and pretzel bun but keep the pot pie), we will definitely return. read more