Came for some apps before a show in town Service was fast &…read morefriendly Cold apps were a hit! Would come again Be sure to try the babaganoush :) Prices very resonable

City Kebab is a Middle Eastern kebab restaurant that opened in Hartford, Connecticut in September…read more2023. It was founded by husband and wife Uzbek immigrants Timur Rakhimov and Aziza Djalmamedova. The couple immigrated to the United States from Uzbekistan in 2010. After over a decade of education, training, and hard work, they decided to try their luck as restaurateurs. They found a space that used to be home to Hook & Ladder Restaurant (right next to Hartford Fire Department's historic South Green Station). The couple hired Turkish immigrant Hasan Korkmaz as their head chef. Together, they curated a menu full of traditional Turkish and Uzbek cuisine that is all prepared in accordance with halal dietary laws. Some of the menu items include kebabs, samsas, falafel, gyro, and mezzo platters. I recently dined at City Kebab while I was in Hartford to see a concert. I checked Yelp to see if there was anywhere good to grab dinner before the show, and Middle Eastern/Mediterranean cuisine sounded fantastic to me. When I entered, I was greeted by the very friendly co-owner Timur, who said, "I work for my wife. She's the real boss." After being seated, I began to look over the menu. When Timur returned, he tried to recommend that I get gyro. I told him, "Oh no. I know exactly what I want. I'd like to order a variety of small plates to sample. I'm a local food blogger and I want an authentic experience." Timur was just ecstatic and quickly went to give my order to the kitchen staff. I started off first with a small "Mixed Cold Appetizer" (combo of hummus, babganush, haydari, soslu patlican, antep ezme, avocado ezme), the "Falafel" (mixture of chickpeas, parsley, onions, garlic, Middle Eastern spices, deep fried) and a small teapot of "Turkish Black Tea". Timur brought me some complimentary "Ramazan Pidesi" (Turkish Bread) as well as a glass of "Fresh Squeezed Lemonade". He said, "You need to try this!" So far, everything was excellent! For the main course, I had the "Mixed Grill" (mixture of chicken shish, beef shish, kofte, lamb adana, beef & lamb gyro, served w/ white rice, bulgur rice, Mediterranean salad). It was a symphony of Mediterranean flavors! Timur surprised me with a "Pumpkin Samsa" (pumpkin filling in crispy pastry, seasoned with spices, served w/ tomato sauce) and said, "You can't leave without trying this. It's an Uzbek specialty!" It was very tasty! Before the meal was over, he said, "Save some room. I have another surprise for you at the end." He brought me "Künefe with Dondurma" (Turkish ice cream). I had never tried this before. Stuffed with melted mozzarella and then topped with pistachio and almond crumbles, it was simply divine! I repeatedly thanked Timur for his hospitality and for sharing his culinary cultural traditions with me. I had enough leftovers for both my wife and I to have for dinner the following evening. I'll definitely be returning with my whole family. If you're looking for an authentic Middle Eastern culinary experience in Hartford, then look no further than City Kebab!

Banh Meee has quite a history beginning as a food truck in 2017. Opening a brick and mortar…read morelocation on Capitol Avenue in 2018, followed by a second location on Ann Uccello in 2020. Even though they've since closed their first location, they still serve one of the best meals I could ever want. They had expanded into 257 Asylum Street, still connected to their business in Ann Uccello where they have always operated the kitchen. You might be able to see the chef in action through the glass window. I've been told that this expanded section used to be a salon. The cool light fixtures used to be above where the pedicure station was and also another reason there is a sink on the main floor. This is not quite a wait-on-you type of restaurant. You place an order through the kiosks on the wall and service staff will provide it to you when it's ready. It would be the same thing if you'd like any additions, in exception to condiments which are on the table. There is a water dispenser available for self service and a sink is nearby to wash your hands, as well as where you can place your dishes when finished similar to cafes. My go-to is always their Dry Noodle. The Daikon Bowl is probably my second favorite. I usually look out for their specials. It's too bad they do not offer the same item too often. It's simply too good! They also serve delicious refreshments that I forget to take photos of! Till next time!

Had passed this place several times and since it was within a short walk from Theater Works, we…read moretried it. Only difficulty was with the computer-based ordering. I was confused to start and unknowingly timed out on my order. The young gentleman in the front of the house quickly rectified it. My need in a good bahn mi is the correct bread and this place did just that! Excellent. I had the flank steak bahn mi and my dining partner the crispy chicken. Both were delicious, fresh and full of flavor. Skip the curly fries. Glad we got two different choices and split the orders. The room is cafeteria chic. Will definitely return next time theater rolls around.

I went immediately after work for an early dinner with a small group. The place was very empty…read moreuntil 7 on a Tuesday. Our server was very friendly and helped us navigate the menu. We started with shishito peppers, calamari and edamame. All three were excellent. We followed that with nigiri, steak, sea bass for the table with a side of duck fat potatoes, asparagus It was an excellent evening after a long day. I'll definitely be back when in the Hartford area.

We had been wanting to try Feng Chophouse for a while. We have been to Feng's Marketplace many…read moretimes, but never actually pulled the trigger on the chophouse. After gymnastics at PeoplesBank Arena, we ended up going impromptu. We were dressed well enough, so we stopped in a little before the kitchen closed and were still able to order. We started with the salmon rolls, and they were delicious. Definitely the best sushi I have had in the Hartford area so far. The sushi at Feng's Marketplace is also good, but this was on another level. As far as gluten-free options, there were not a ton of choices. They suggested the salmon, so I went with that. Honestly, I would not order it again. It was not very flavorful, and the vegetables were canned corn, spinach, and mushrooms. I am not an Iron Chef, but I do think I could have made something similar at home, and probably better. Especially at that price point, around $40, I expected more. Very disappointing My partner had the Angry Lobster and also thought it was just okay. He was expecting better as well. The service was great, and the staff were pleasant, which we really appreciated. We would return to try other items, especially the sushi, but overall the main meals were a bit disappointing. Maybe when we are eating meat again, we would come back and try the steak. Overall great for a Date night/ birthdays and anything which requires dressing up. For the food 2.5/5 For the overall experience 3.5/5 Yelp doesn't do half so I rounded up

Delicious Tandoori chicken and garlic naan! This place serves the best tandoori chicken I'e had…read more It came out hot and fresh and I paired it with garlic naan which was also excellent. The place is a little grimy and could use a coat of paint and a good cleaning, but it sort of adds to the ambiance in a way.

Passing through on the way back to Philly and needed lunch. Google search helped me find this. I…read moresuddenly had a hankering for a Kathi roll. I'll say first that it took about 20 minutes from placing the order to getting the food. We were two people at 2 pm on a Saturday with no other customers. My gut feeling said that they were making it all fresh to order. At least I hoped that was the reason. Well when they brought it to the table and I took my first bite, I knew. They absolutely made it fresh and made it slap. Fantastic flavor to everything. I had the chicken Kathi roll and the wife had the paneer roll. Both were full of flavor. But when my Mumbai born wife exclaimed "MMMM" when she tried her panipuri, I really knew. She says panipuri is tough to get right in America. Well apparently this place did.