I rarely visit casinos, but a trip to the Benton Museum at UConn for the opening of two excellent exhibits had us heading there for a bite to eat after.  I never have high expectations for casino dining, so we were happily surprised by one of the newest restaurants, Beauty & Essex. Owned by the Tao group, this glam spot has an unusual, but casino-appropriate entrance, and if you ask me, more fitting than a waterfall! You enter through a small pawnshop before stepping into a speakeasy-esque bar, and then continue to the velvet booth-lined dining room, dripping with chandeliers. 

So far, so good. Everything on the menu is meant to be shared – our favorite way to eat – but that didn’t make the decisions any easier. One of our party can’t resist tartare; I didn’t partake, but she was thrilled with it. The kale, apple, pecan, prosciutto, and blue cheese salad arrived exactly as described, with a bit of each ingredient in each bite, and we all agreed it was one of the best salads we’ve ever had. We demolished the mountain of shredded kale dressed with a tangy cider vinaigrette so quickly I didn’t even get a pic!

Chicken Meatballs with Whipped Ricotta, Mushrooms, and Truffle was a satisfying and fragrant protein dish, and the beer-battered Fish and Tots (Chilean sea bass here) had a delicate, shatteringly crisp crust, served with mammoth and delicious housemade Tater Tots. 

The Miso-glazed Crispy Eggplant stole the show: perfect nuggets of eggplant, with no noticeable breading, were sweet, salty, and creamy all at once. An unusual and memorable execution!

Our helpful and attentive waitress, Karen,  guided us through the menu, and to say we were delighted by the meal is an understatement. Reason enough to head to the casino, and we’ll be back!

https://mohegansun.com/poi/dining/beauty-essex.html

At the Benton Museum: Fate and Magic: The Art of Maureen McCabe

Clouds: A Collaboration with Fluid Dynamics

Through December 14th.