PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIAEmma Sofy loves food and she loves to cook. You can see it in her face when her kind eyes light up as she tells you about her passion for food and her overwhelmingly popular restaurant, Emma’s on Liberty. First setting up shop in 1970 as a local corner store, the family business did a roaring trade in milk, eggs and bread but there were bigger things in store. Around 16 years ago Emma began to spend her afternoons at the shop preparing dinner for her family and packaging up the excess dishes which were quickly snapped up by hungry locals looking for an escape from cooking. Word spread about the amazing food and Emma and her son Anthony soon found themselves running a buzzing eatery.
The cosy dining room is dominated by a big communal table which is often packed elbow to elbow with happy groups feasting upon the fresh and flavoursome Lebanese cuisine that Emma and Anthony take such pride in preparing. Emma declares Anthony the creative force behind the menu, which is ideally enjoyed as a banquet to ensure you get a taste of it all. The Moorish chicken carries quite a reputation; marinated in tangy spices and flame-grilled before being wrapped in Lebanese bread, grilled again and garnished with shaved red onion, this is a must-try. Similarly, the Ladies Fingers, stuffed with spiced lamb mince, pine nuts and pomegranate molasses are melt-in-your-mouth parcels of goodness while desserts of baklava and dates stuffed with walnuts are as revered as the rest of the menu. Just make sure you book ahead and take along your favourite bottle of wine, as Emma’s is BYO.
Amy Looker, November 2007
