My meal and experience was on point at Essex. I was very surprised because typically when you're located in the heart of downtown, you don't have to be amazing to have a full house, it's the location that will keep the people flowing in. But with Essex, I would find my way there: beautiful atmosphere, food presentation and great flavor. It's small plates from around the world, you can't classify it as only Mediterranean because they really do have an almost odd assortment of dishes.
We ordered the butter chicken curry which is served with a bread-stick looking piece of naan and is delicious, creamy and flavorful. We also ordered the brussels sprout salad, a very large portion and served warm not chilled. Tuna tartar tacos come with a side of seaweed/cilantro slaw and of course the bang bang shrimp which packs a powerful punch of heat. We even ordered dessert because everything was so delicious and were not disappointed with the strawberry, mango, vanilla tort [wasn't a "must get dessert good" but I'm much more of a salty than sweet person]. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed Essex, it was truly delicious and they're really doing it right in multiple ways. I'd definitely recommend it for a group of people (it's easy to make a reservation on Open Table) or for a date.