The Essex in Old Saybrook Offers More Energy and New Culinary Surprises!

If you blink, you might miss it. Miss what? Well, the menus at The Essex in Old Saybrook might just change more than any restaurant we know. Cue Menu 61, which will surely be long gone by the time this article has been printed. However, that’s part of the magic that is The Essex Restaurant with Chef Colt Taylor at the helm.

It has been nearly four years since edible CT EAST caught up with Chef Colt and there have been some significant changes. For starters, Colt is now a husband and a father to young twins. He also moved The Essex to Old Saybrook and his other restaurant, Los Charros Cantina, to Branford. What hasn’t changed is his wildly inventive cooking style, bold intermingling of flavors, and ability to surprise his guests. Like the bewildering aura of Banksy the artist, who constantly conjures a how did he do that response, Colt is a master of culinary surprises. Unlike Banksy, however, Colt works in plain sight, which adds to diners’ bemusement.

“It was a great move for us,” Colt says as we sat for one of his seven-course tastings this summer. “The Essex is already coming up on their second anniversary in Old Saybrook in December.” When describing the physical differences of the space, Colt comments, “This is a much more energetic space with the bar in the middle.” The Old Saybrook location is also a standalone restaurant, giving The Essex both a physical and more symbolic, independent identity. Although diners who found The Essex in its former location fell in love with their experiences– still garnering it a 2018 and 2019 state recognition–the space was larger, it was darker, and was one concept between two others (Los Charros Cantina and the after-hours lounge, Coco Club, now defunct). Now each restaurant has its own space which has allowed Colt to focus his cooking skills and present a more coherent diner experience. The Essex gets to breathe now, and comes alive in a dressed up, yet more approachable way. The white tablecloths are back, but they give the restaurant a clean, chic look while feeling open and inviting.

From left, clockwise: Hiramasa Crudo with Sungold tomato; Snake River american wagyu steak frites with braised beans and pistou; Poached halibut with marniere nage, carrots, peas, leeks, and crispy larette potatoes; Sarah Zierhoffer putting the finishing touches on Churro Beignets with Dulce de leche

“We’ve evolved into a well-oiled machine.”

Chef Colt and team in the open kitchen

“It’s actually pretty tiny,” says Colt, “with only 38 seats - 20 are at tables, 12 are at the bar, and 6 are at the tasting counter in front of the open kitchen.” Depending on weather, they can also accommodate an additional 20 people outside. The tasting counter, in front of the open kitchen, is always the most popular, live-action space, especially for those who’ve ordered the tasting menu. There is an option for a five- or a seven-course tasting. At The Essex, the five-course menu offers lighter dishes while the seven-course menu includes richer fare. For example, on Menu 61, the five-course menu does not offer the Egg toast with Snake River caviar, sous vide yolk, and milkbread or the Foie Gras Popsicle. As such, we were overjoyed at choosing the seven-course tasting. Caviar? Foie gras popsicle? Yes, please. Literally on a stick.

Along with a steadfast, solid team in the kitchen and at the bar, Colt relied on family for assistance with the structure and aesthetic of the Old Saybrook location. With artwork from Colt’s mom, artist Melissa Barbiere, in particular the large seafaring mural that drew much attention in Centerbrook and now boldly featured behind the current bar, there are also numerous paintings by his mother-in-law. The bar itself was custom-built by his father-in-law, including the cabinetry. It takes a village indeed, and Colt surely has one. He doesn’t let much time pass before he looks around and acknowledges how grateful he is.

Although The Essex had a grand opening, as restaurants do, the one in Old Saybrook kicked off with a bang, yet fewer jitters. The team could celebrate the new space, without the anxiety of starting from scratch since they had already, as Colt says, “evolved into a well-oiled machine.” Confidence in their menu, service, and level of harmony as a staff, they had more assurance going into a “first” night, unlike many restaurants who know they will be tested on every front.

Over half of all Essex diners order the Tasting Menu; it has become a focal point of the restaurant’s business and what grabs a great deal of attention. The fact that they turn over dishes and shake things up in ways others may feel tentative about, is quickly becoming a noted signature and a big part of The Essex’s identity. Colt and his kitchen team are still proudly rooted in French technique; and yet, they deftly enhance that technique with flavors from all corners of the globe. There are still a few reliable staples Colt keeps on the menu, like the Niantic Oysters and Shrimp Cocktail. Or the popular Steak Frites options served over a toffee glacé (which really needs to be bottled). Additionally, they still pay homage to the great Paul Bocuse, with the restaurant’s Lobster Bisque, using a classic consommé and puff-pastry top, but may also create it using a koji kombu made in-house as part of their fermentation program.

Maintaining a high level of education, curiosity, and exploration in the kitchen is a prominent part of Colt’s philosophy. And he is always passionate about sustainable practices, something he makes a point of discussing regularly, not just with staff but diners as well. On the evening edible dined there, Colt was talking to a couple of guests about a website called Seafood Watch, from the Monterey Bay Aquarium in conjunction with an organization he has been connected to for years. On the site, chefs, businesses, and consumers alike can learn more about what is available, where seafood is coming from, and how it is cultivated. Explore. Change. Evolve.

Ora king salmon with lemon, thyme, olive oil

From left: Dylan Spevacek at the bar; enjoying a churro beignet 

Some diners may feel like they are on a moving train, thinking just as they’ve figured out the Essex menu, it changes, but Colt is unapologetic in his stance on menus. Just because a dish was on the spring menu this year, does not mean it should be on the spring menu next year. “We can have a dish and fall in love with it,” he says, “but that’s it. It’s off the table. That exact dish is not going to be revisited again. We’ve already done it.” In one plate, diners will have a clean, pure raw fish that’s celebrated and uplifted with a light, fresh, bright treatment, like olive oil, thyme and lemon, alongside what Colt calls, “an aggressive rollercoaster ride.” And it really works.

Chef Colt Taylor’s culinary confidence and mastery is filling the restaurant and even wowing guests on a weekday night, something that wasn’t as consistent when The Essex was hidden in Centerbrook. In Old Saybrook, there’s not only more visibility and foot traffic, but there’s also a level of pride on behalf of the community that The Essex is there, and someone with Colt’s pedigree is proud to represent the town.

So, with a culinary passport in hand, diners will be delighted by the not-so-new-anymore restaurant. Colt and his team will continue to surprise guests and perform magic right in front of you using French techniques, global flavors, and New England ingredients. “This is who we are. This is what we do,” he says. “We’re not going to changing anything except for the menu, all the fucking time!”

The Essex is located at 247 Main Street in Old Saybrook. www.theessex.com @theessexrestaurant