TAO Group and Chef Chris Santos will debut Beauty and Essex at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. The opening marks the second location of the New York City pawn shop, restaurant and lounge that originated in 2010 from the chef who pioneered the small, share plate dining trend that has swept the nation.
Spanning 10,000 square feet, the Rockwell Group-designed space celebrates the exquisite beauty of jewels. With over 230 seats for dining, and another 90 seats in the bar and lounge, the restaurant explores jewels in all forms—from pearls and gemstones to vintage jewelry boxes, to antique and heirloom pieces.
Guests will experience a dramatic transition as they journey through the gritty pawn shop-inspired space to discover a light and decadent entry, before arriving in the Pearl Lounge. Here, a custom chandelier comprised of thousands of draped pearls which radiate from the ceiling and down the walls to plush, tufted purple banquettes.
The opulence continues in the Mirror Bar where a DJ will spin from a gold DJ booth and through a corridor featuring a 40-foot-long screened wall composed of framed vintage lockets that leads guests to a trio of ornate dining rooms complete with custom finishes, metallic and jewel-toned hues and glamorous lighting.
The menu from Santos, a celebrity chef judge on The Food Network hit series “Chopped,” will echo the multi-ethnic signature dishes of the New York City location and feature additional culinary offerings exclusive to Las Vegas. Share plates including New York City favorites Tuna Poke Wonton Tacos, Thai Style Crispy Shrimp and Tomato Tartare join Roasted Bone Marrow, Oven Braised Chicken Meatballs and more. The Beauty & Essex Las Vegas menu will also feature classic dishes from The Stanton Social, Santos’ first New York City restaurant, including the iconic French Onion Soup Dumplings among other favorites. A creative selection of pasta, prime dry-aged meats, an award-winning burger and inventive desserts round out the menu, while aptly named libations such as the Emerald Gimlet and Beauty Elixir as well as an expansive wine list provide an ideal accompaniment to any meal.
“It is exciting to introduce Beauty and Essex to Las Vegas with TAO Group, whose success over nearly eleven years in the city has laid the groundwork for this expansion,” said Santos.
“A hallmark of our hospitality company is to offer a day-to-dine-to-night itinerary,” said TAO Group co-founder Rich Wolf. “Bringing this new-to-market concept to join Marquee Nightclub & Dayclub at The Cosmopolitan allows us to tailor a complete dining and club experience for our guests.”
Fresh from their January launch of VANDAL, New York City’s hottest dining destination, Beauty and Essex Las Vegas marks another step in collective expansion for Santos and TAO Group, who together will open a Beauty & Essex outpost in Los Angeles later this year. Also forthcoming from Santos is his first cookbook, “SHARE – Delicious and Surprising Recipes to Pass Around Your Table,” debuting February 2017. Courtesy of Erica Coltun / dOMAIN Integrated
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