Da Emma
RestaurantTop Pick
Da Emma
Opens Tuesday at 6 pm
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | 6 pm - 10 pm |
| Wednesday | 6 pm - 10 pm |
| Thursday | 6 pm - 10 pm |
| Friday | 6 pm - 11 pm |
| Saturday | 6 pm - 11 pm |
| Sunday | Closed Today |
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Info & Location
Restaurant Da Emma, located in what was formerly Montreal's first prison for women, won prizes for its design in 1999. Da Emma serves traditional Italian cuisine with Roman specialities. As for the food: seafood antipasto (squid, mussels, shrimp, and octopus drizzled with olive oil), fettuccine with porcini mushrooms, and suckling pig roasted with garlic and rosemary are among the highlights.
Terrace available accommodating up to 70 people.
Amenities, services & more
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Reviews often mention
Display Allitalian(33) pasta(20) authentic(19) dessert(17) sauce(12) dishes(11) italien(10) recommend(9) tiramisu(9)Page 1 of 1 - 10 Reviews
John
The bread was exceptional. Old school loaf with hard crust. The pasta was perfect with delicious simple tomato sauce. I have definitely had better carpaccio. I was not particularly happy with either of the fish dishes. My biggest issue was definitely the service. On a Wednesday night, it was not busy. But everything was slow. It took a very long time to get sparkling water. I began looking for the waiter so we could place an order before he finally came. The food took a long time & was not really hot. By then I had stuffed myself with too much bread. That one is on me. After two bottles of sparkling water I asked to switch to just regular ice water. The waiter agreed & then never brought me any. To pay the bill, I was tempted to take a walk to see if I could find our waiter. I finally flagged him down that I wanted to pay, & it was at least another 10 minutes. The rest of my family had already left the table & I was sitting there tapping my foot until he finally finally finally showed up. The waiter was a disaster. & he was completely unsupported by the other wait staff. They seemed more interested in having a conversation with the table next to us. Maybe they are regulars? On a final note, I am removing this restaurant from my recommendations to friends & other business associates. The food was not quite up to par, but the service took it straight down the drain.View more
Steve
We stepped into Da Emma & were warmly welcomed, starting the evening with a Negroni at the bar, expertly crafted & perfectly balanced. The setting, nestled in the stone walled cellar, gave the night an elegant yet cozy charm.
Once at our table, the evening unfolded into a Roman feast. We began with the creamiest burrata atop juicy tomato slices, paired with velvety prosciutto, simple, fresh, & divine. The spaghetti carbonara followed, rich & authentic, with just the right balance of pecorino & guanciale.
For the mains, we shared a medley of dishes: a tender roasted lamb shoulder that fell apart effortlessly, savory roasted piglet, juicy lamb chops kissed with rosemary & lemon, & succulent shrimp bathed in a delicate sauce. Each dish was executed with love & mastery.
We paired it all with a stunning Barolo that elevated every bite. No room left for dessert, but we did close the night with a round of amaros, a perfect finale to a truly exceptional meal.
Da Emma is a timeless spot that honors tradition without losing elegance. A must for anyone who takes Italian cuisine seriously.View more
Alex
Da Emma is a delightful gem that offers truly authentic Italian cuisine. The beauty of their dishes lies in their simplicity, staying true to the essence of Italian cooking.
The smoked salmon appetizer was a delightful starter that showcased the perfect balance of flavors. The combination of the smoked salmon, arugula, & a touch of lemon juice created a refreshing & satisfying appetizer that prepared our taste buds for the main course.
The mushroom pasta was executed with great finesse, striking the right balance between richness & subtlety. The velvety, creamy sauce allowed the earthy flavors of the mushrooms to shine through, resulting in a memorable pasta dish that was deeply satisfying.
We complemented our meal with a glass of red wine, which added another layer of enjoyment to the dining experience. It truly felt like a celebration, as if we were being treated to a special homemade meal by an Italian mother on a joyous occasion.View more
Anna-Maria
Overpriced & poor service. The tomato sauce was too acid.View more
R
I had astronomically high expectations following recommendations from friends. Da Emma did meet many of those expectations however the price:quantity ratio left a somewhat bitter aftertaste. Service was good if a tad slow despite it being a relatively quieter weekday evening. We found ourselves having to catch the attention of the waiter in order to get some service (bread basket was empty, etc) so it did lack some attention given that it was a 5* establishment. Food quality was good. The suckling pig was definitely the highlight of our evening. The meat was tender & well marinated & totally impeccable & out of this world. The veal ravioli was also exceptionally tasty with a classic simple but delicious red sauce. The lamb, however, was dry & tough & certainly not the melt in the mouth, pull it apart with a fork experience that we had anticipated. What was terribly disappointing were the appetizers. Dont get me wrong. The smoked salmon & prosciutto were fresh & tasty but I would suggest you think twice before ordering $25-$30 (each) appetizers that had nothing more than 3 slices of prosciutto or salmon or one burrata. Those steep prices would have easily warranted far heartier quantities. In Italy, this would have created a riot in the streets! :p All in all, a good night was shared by all but I certainly wouldn't go all out to dine at Da Emma's since there are other Italian places that offer a far better bang for your buck. Unless seeing & being seen is your utmost priority, both your tummy & wallet could be happier elsewhere.View more
Matthew
Excellent meal. The Bistecca Pepe Verde was amazing, the sauce was to die for. Both the Tiramisu & the Tartufo were excellent desserts, I cannot even choose which one was better, they were both delicious. Great service from Jean-Luc.
We will definitely visit again!View more
KamelTo-1361
5 Reviews
Franchement le pire rapport qualité/prix du quartier, & de très loin. Très cher pour une assiette très décevante. Cuisine familiale très ordinaire qui n'a absolument rien pour justifier les prix pratiqués. En commandant le veau pour lequel je ne savais pas trop à quoi m'attendre (parce qu'ils jouaient la carte italienne jusqu'au bout sans qu'on ait une traduction du menu en italien, mais bon peut-être que nous aurions pu insister aussi pour avoir une traduction, je vous l'accorde...), je me suis retrouvé avec une tranche de veau similaire à une tranche de jambon, mais plus épaisse. & franchement, les pâtes avec sauce tomate sont ce qu'elles sont : un plat de pâtes qu'une mère italienne vous prépare un soir de semaine. Même les ingrédients ne justifient pas les prix pratiqués. Je suis habitué aux restaurants chers dans le quartier, & beaucoup en valent la peine, mais franchement, ce restaurant, je ne comprends même pas qu'il soit encore ouvert aujourd'hui. C'est se moquer du monde. À éviter absolument! Seuls points positifs : un décor, des belles voûtes, une histoire, un cadre un peu hors norme même s'il ne vaut mieux pas être claustrophobe. & aussi une belle carte des vins, & celui que j'ai essayé était excellent (mais 100$ la bouteille tout de même!). Si vous avez commis l'erreur de venir ici, lâchez-vous avec une bonne bouteille, c'est la seule chose qui vaut son prix dans ce restaurant.
KathleenLa-495
1 Review
C'est de loin l'expérience la plus décevante que jai eu depuis longtemps... le service manquait royalement de professionnalisme, la nourriture était...corrext dans la.mesure où l'on mange de l'italien donc sans surprise mais ça encore ca va...
Personne de nous 4 avons fini nos assiette car c'était disons..ordinaire. les pâtes au beau sauces a la viande étaient trop cuites, le m'arrête de veau sec au point d'être farineux. Pour un resto soit disant haut de gamme le service ny était pas. Jamais le.serveur nous a offert un dessert, ni ne nous a demandé si c'était a notre goût.
Dommage mais manque de finition
THE_epicurienne
5 Reviews
Ce restaurant nous avait été chaudement recommandé. Je sais qu'il a un historique chargé, que plusieurs vedettes d'ici & d'ailleurs y sont allées & que d'un point de vue purement esthétique, l'endroit est unique (ancienne prison pour femmes). Mais je n'ai pas compris l'émoi d'un point de vue gastronomique.
C'était bien, sans plus. Vraiment. & c'est très cher.
Ainsi, une entrée appelée à tort "carpaccio de saumon" n'était en fait qu'un assemblage rudimentaire de saumon fumé (?), recouvert d'un tas de roquettes sans aucun assaisonnement. Ça faisait plutôt brouillon. À 20$ l'entrée, on s'attendait à beaucoup plus. Ironiquement, la mise en bouche offerte par la maison dès notre arrivée, une bruschetta, était beaucoup plus savoureuse & appétissante. Croûton bien chaud, mie légèrement moelleuse, pas trop imbibée, garniture généreuse & assaisonnement sans faille, c'était simple mais beau. Surtout, délicieux. J'en aurais pris trois comme ça en entrée au lieu du saumon.
Pour le plat principal on ne peut pas accuser la cheffe d'être chiche. L'entrecôte de boeuf avec sa sauce aux poivres est titanesque! La pièce, qui manquait de tendreté, trône dans une sauce goûteuse, crémeuse & bien relevée, c'est presque cochon. Mais à 45$, on regrette un peu que la sauce vole la vedette. Les brocolis servis en accompagnement étaient à mon goût trop gras & trop cuits.
Au dessert j'ai pris le sorbet au citron & mon hôte le tiramisu. Deux classiques. Le tiramisu était très bon & pour le sorbet, bien que le goût était là, la présentation était encore une fois très rudimentaire. Deux boules de sorbet dans un plat en céramique blanche & c'est tout.
Le service était un peu expéditif, mais quand même sympathique.
Somme toute un bon restaurant & une bâtisse unique, mais à 300$ pour deux personnes incluant une bouteille de vin (parmi les moins chères soit 50$), les attentes étaient là. On aurait vraiment aimé plus de soin dans la présentation, plus de raffinement dans les assiettes, plus de chaleur dans le service. En comparaison, le feu Il Mulino était nettement supérieur.
Bison Stew
10 Reviews
The few pastas I've tried are out of this world; Tortellini with Gorgonzola sauce, Veal raviolis with speck, Fettuccine mushroom pasta. All some of the best I've ever had. Their piglet roast shoulder is also a must, haven't tried their lamb. Their veal roast (sliced) though was on the disappointing side, not tender enough. Would definitely recommend Da Emma.