Emelia's

7.5 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  8      Service  6      Value  8     

I went for the first time on Sunday for an early dinner. The service was friendly but nothing exceptional. The food came out quickly and was delicious. I had the lasagne and tried my partner's spinach and cheese enchilada and they were both great. The portions were good value for money, I had an entree size and found it a good size for me and my partner had the main and it was very generous.

If you are looking for a vegetarian restaurant that serves faux meat this is not it. They don't have a huge range of main means but they also have rolls and burgers.I thought the food tasted wholesome and reminiscent of home cooked meals.

It is quite a casual restaurant, more like a cafe which I think suits the area. Also they only accept cash. I'll be coming back to try other dishes as well as the desserts which we didn't have time (or room!) for.

Oct 24, 2011 

3.5 Below Average

Food  9      Ambience  1      Service  1      Value  3     

I used to love this place 5 years ago! However, things at Emelia's have taken a drastic turn. First of all, let me say that the vegan nachos are quite good, and secondary, the soy-gluten ribs with fake pork fillet. However! They seem to have substituted some eco-friendly devices (all for a good cause) that interfere with the speed of the cooking and service. We waited for half an hour for our coffee just so their solar generator (at night!) could pump the coffee machine.

When we complained about the mosquitoes, they told us that all animals have feelings and they wouldn't shut the door or turn the zapper on, as it would take too much out of their night-time solar generator and cause our meal to cook slower. Last of all, we tried to pay by American Express card, and they told us they were cash-only. But I still paid for the bill, thought it was $270 in rupees in our native India. Then we both fart and went home. Very good time.

Oct 29, 2010 

6 Average

Food  5      Ambience  5      Service  7      Value  7     

I had been wanting to go to Emelia's for a long time and last night my partner and I finally did and we won't be going back there again any time soon. I had the carrot and walnut loaf which was dry, tasteless and quite sickening. (It tasted like how I'd imagine army rations to taste like). I got some plain white rice and a salad consisting of some iceberg lettuce, shredded carrot and sprouts to accompany it.

My partner got the Soy Bean burger which was extremely dry and the bread tasted stale. Vegetarian food doesn't just mean vege paddies. Their kitchen staff need inspiration and creativity. I was expecting innovative items like stuffed capsicums or some unique salads. In the end, Emelia's is just a health food cafe, not a vegetarian restaurant. Very disappointing.

Feb 05, 2010 

7.8 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  8      Service  7      Value  8     

4 years since I last ate here, went back and was very happy. Nut Roast and Lebanese platter to share was excellent. Very good value. Friendly place, nice ambience. Good value too. Not for a top notch dinner but great for a casual meal out.

Jan 19, 2010 

4.5 Below Average

Food  5      Ambience  4      Service  2      Value  7     

Cash only?!? What is this, 1982? And to make matters worse, after we'd come back from driving around Dee Why trying to find an atm we were berated by the waitress for being late, and told to hurry up and order because the kitchen was about to close (by my watch we had 20 minutes, plenty of time in my experience.) I don't appreciate some 19 year old having a go at me when I'm the one paying her wages.

I had no expectations about the food, which was a good thing, the noise from a party on the other side of the room made it impossible for my friends and I to talk.
So there you have it, if you're going to go, raid your change jar and be prepared to be on the naughty list if you happen to be 15 minutes late for your weeknight booking.

Dec 14, 2009 

5.3 Average

Food  6      Ambience  5      Service  5      Value  5     

Came here for some good vegetarian and was disappointed. Very small menu and a lot of the things from the dishes were missing. Had nachos pizza for entree which was strange. And the nachos for my main didn't come with guacamole even though the menu advertised it. They claimed to have only just come back from a holiday. Overall it was disappointing.

Jan 17, 2009 

4.3 Below Average

Food  5      Ambience  4      Service  4      Value  4     

Had looked forward to going here for some time but couldn't as was quite a disappointing evening. The menu was very limited. Five dishes that could be entree or main sizes plus a bunch of wraps and burgers. The menu said to ask about the specials, but there weren't any. I expected delicious dishes of zucchini and eggplant but this was more health food, i.e. rice and sprouts, than vegetarian.

Our entrees of a taco pizza and lebanese plate were okay, although the tabouli was far too coarse. My cheese and spinach enchillada would have tasted better if I could find any cheese or spinach in it, and was accompanied by plain rice and bitter, undressed sprouts. My wife's carrot and nut roast was generous but very dry and bland.

The service was friendly but slow, the premises cramped. We couldn't get in or out of our table because of a highchair from the next table. Really a pretty ordinary evening and certainly did nothing to encourage us to try more vegetarian.

Jan 09, 2009 

5.3 Average

Food  5      Ambience  5      Service  3      Value  8     

We had been to this place previously and it was fantastic, however, after dining there last night I have since changed my mind, it was terrible! The service is shocking! The food came out pretty fast, but we ordered a glass of water and lemonade and it came out after we had finished our entree and were half way through the main. We asked the waiter where the drinks were after the entree came out and he replied he knew about it and was getting it, after that he stood around for 10 minutes doing nothing until we had to go ask for it at the counter.

If you are expecting a restaurant than this is not the place for you, it is more like a cafe. There are good reviews here about the nacho rolls, I had them last night and it tasted like they through a whole shaker of salt in it! Never again!

Dec 05, 2008 

9 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  9     

Just got home from Emelia's and glad I hadn't read these reviews before we went as I loved it.

I haven't been to a vegetarian restaurant, voluntarily, for nearly 20 years but did so tonight to keep my darling wife happy and found, to my surprise, that the food selection was wide and the meals that we did choose were fresh, large in size and just plain delicious.

Having said that, it certainly the first time I've seen nachos served with salad on top but it worked as did the Lebanese plate with home made hummous. The background music was where it should be, in the background, even though we were sat in the corner directly beneath a speaker. The wait staff were friendly and informative and the bill was minuscule. Give it a try.

Nov 12, 2008 

4 Below Average

Food  6      Ambience  1      Service  1      Value  8     

I used to love this place but the last couple of times I have been I have wanted to get out faster than I got in. I almost lost an eardrum last time I was dining there as the seriously cheap speaker above us was blaring tribal music so loudly I think even my iceberg lettuce (they called it a salad) was dancing.

I was greeted by a rude waitress who we had to yell at because the music so loud, yet surprisingly our fresh meals popped out about five minutes later...hmmm. Good value yet I think you get what you pay for. Cash only??? Will only get take away from now on because at least that means no bad service.

Aug 19, 2008