Welcome to Beauty & Essex. The restaurant is located in Mohegan Sun casino. Beauty & Essex has an…read moreinnovative design that starts in The Pawn Shop complete with vintage treasures, curated contemporary pieces and an eclectic array of "one-off" pieces of jewelry. Continuing past The Pawn Shop, the host greets you in the Jewelry Box and takes you past upholstered walls into the Pearl Lounge and bar. You'll then find the Peacock Dining Room and the Locket Private Dining Room separated by a screen wall of antique frames. Each of these rooms are inspired by the delicate, yet glamorous details of jewelry. The cuisine, much like the design, is intended to set a new course with unique shareable dishes and twists on classic cocktails. Acclaimed chef and co-creator Chris Santos was one of the pioneers of the small, share plate dining trend that has swept the nation, and with the Beauty & Essex menu, he once again has created waves on the food scene. This place has a cool speakeasy feel to it.
I'm starting it out with a bottle of Saratoga sparking water. It's nice and cold. I love this stuff!
For my first drink, I'm having The Woodsman. This is made with Suntory's Toki Japanese Whiskey, muddled pear, Allspice maple syrup and fresh lemon. This is nicely garnished. I can smell it (the Allspice) from here! It's not very strung but it tastes great!
I'm doing the "Beauty For Two" menu, except it's just me). It's only $99. It's only available on Sunday, Monday & Thursday from 5pm - 6pm. You can't go wrong! For my first item, I'm having the KALE & APPLE SALAD made with apple cider vinaigrette, pancetta, candied pecans and shaved goat cheese. Look at the height of that salad! It's a bit crunchy! I ate it all. This is great!
For my second item, I'm having the GRILLED SHISHITO PEPPERS made with lemon harissa (spicy, aromatic chili paste from North Africa, particularly Tunisia, made from roasted or dried chili peppers, garlic, olive oil, and spices like cumin, coriander, and caraway, often with a smoky, tangy flavor) vinaigrette, sesame seeds, turmeric spiced yogurt and mint. These taste great! I love the turmeric. This is a good sized portion too. That vinaigrette sauce is good! I'm a huge fan of shishito peppers. 1 in every 10 is very hot. I'm hoping for a few bombs here! The sauce is light and easy to eat. Yep. Polished off that dish! Next!
The service here is impeccable. There's quick, knowledgeable and fun to talk to. I like the nice, peaceful music here.
For my entree, I'm having the OVEN BRAISED CHICKEN MEATBALLS made with whipped ricotta, wild mushroom and truffle. For my sides, I'm having the SAUTÉED BROCCOLINI made with garlic ponzu and chili crisp, and BABY CAULIFLOWER made with parmesan brodo (the Italian word for broth, a flavorful liquid made by simmering meat (beef, chicken, or capon), bones, vegetables (carrots, celery, onion), and aromatics like parsley) and gremolata (finely chopped parsley, garlic, and lemon zest breadcrumbs). I can smell the cheese from the meatballs from here. Each dish comes with a large serving spoon. Oh yeah! These are good! They're maybe a bit "gamey" (which is a good thing!) if you know the taste. Note they only give you three medium-sized meatballs and a good amount of ricotta cheese. The baby cauliflower is absolutely incredible! I love the sauce on the bottom of the dish! The broccolini is the best part of this meal. It's a HUGE portion. The oozy sauce is great! The chili crisp adds some kick.
For dessert, I'm having the ICE CREAM OR SORBET. The ICE CREAM is mode with S'mores: chocolate ice cream, toasted marshmallow and graham cracker - none for me. The SORBET is a Creamsicle: orange vanilla swirl sorbet and fresh citrus. Now that's all me! We'll look at this! There's a popsicle stick in it! I haven't seen one in years! I love the orange slices! This is great! I love this stuff!
For my last drink, I'm having the TOPAZ MANHATTAN made with Johnnie Walker "Black Cask", Averna Amaro, Dry Vermouth, Crème de Cacao and Mole Bitters. It is served martini style. This has a cool garnish! The leaf is known as a called a "ghost leaf" (it's transparent!). "Ghost leaves" usually refer to natural skeleton leaves where decomposition has removed the flesh, leaving only veins, or a popular Halloween craft using leaves and PVA glue to create translucent window clings. I like it! Beware, this version is not edible. I like the super small, cute, clothesline pin. This is chilled, WELL garnished and delicious! Now this one has some kick!
Kudos to the server for "staggering" my meal and giving me 20 minutes in between my courses! Normal time is like 10 minutes. It was a bit slow tonight so I got away with it. The server wipes down the table before placing the spoon down! That's a great practice! What a great meal here! Wow!!!