Let me start off this review by admitting that i really dislike the frou-frou "new American" cuisine trend where it seems restaurants are just dressing up a pork chop with an apple "reduction" and charging $50 for it. But now that I've been to Beauty & Essex a couple times, I feel like this place is legit.
Hands down, my favorite dish on the menu is actually the garganelli. It's hearty but with just enough kick at the end to make it really interesting. My other must-haves are the tomato soup dumplings and chicken meatballs. The caesar toast is my favorite of the toast offerings but to be honest I like all of them; the wedge salad is also killer but I'd prioritize other, more interesting / different things on the menu first.
And don't forget dessert. The affogato milkshake shot (an affogato with godiva liquer) is one of my top guilty pleasures anywhere - I'll admit I don't usually even wait until dessert to have one.
I don't know why they've taken some of their best offerings off the menu (french onion soup dumplings?) but this is still a place I always look forward to visiting.