When was the last time you visited a friend? I had been missing one of my college friends for a while and finally got to visit her in Hartford. She’s one of my favorite people with whom I love to try new restaurants. I’m glad I got a chance to visit and check out some spots that she loves.
Day 1
Before my morning flight with Southwest Airlines, I had time to get an Iced Chai Latte from Mayorga Coffee at BWI Airport. It was one of the best iced chai lattes I’ve ever had.
Due to personal reasons, the rest of Day 1 was a lot. We stopped at a chain restaurant and relaxed for the rest of the day.
Day 2
Rush Bowls
We started the day with smoothie bowls from Rush Bowls. To know me is to know that I think smoothie bowls are always a good idea. Rush Bowls is devoted to healthy ingredients to craft tasty all-natural food bowls. Items on the menu include smoothies, smoothie bowls, and bites. There’s even a bowl for dogs.
I ordered the Mai Tai bowl, which may be seasonal. It’s made with mango, pineapple, pitaya (dragonfruit), orange juice, and guava juice. It was topped with granola, honey, and organic hemp.
The Mai Tai bowl was one of the best smoothie bowls I’ve had. The freshness? The perfect amount of natural sweetness? Sensational. The juices in the smoothie base worked so beautifully with the fruit. The guava juice was a great touch. It’s an ingredient I don’t usually see. Hopefully, Rush Bowls will bring it back this summer.
Day 3
My friends and I took a day trip to New York City on Day 3. It felt great being back in the city that made a huge impact on me. It’s also where my blogging journey started. Post coming soon.
Day 4
Bears Smokehouse BBQ
I love a good BBQ spot. I had never heard of Bears Smokehouse BBQ before my friend told me about it. I was excited to check it out. It was founded by __, and it’s the official BBQ of the UConn Huskies. Bears was a choose-your-table kind of place filled with wooden tables and booths. When you order your food in person, you tell each station what you want to order. Eventually, you end up at the register to pay and wait for your food.
The menu has appetizers, various types of meat, sandwiches, salads, sides, desserts, signature menu items, and combos. There are three combos from which you can choose: one, two, or three meats plus two sides. I chose pulled pork for my meat option. I chose BBQ beans and macaroni and cheese for my sides. Ordering a dessert felt right, so I got the Apple Crisp.
Everything was so fresh. I loved how flavorful the pulled pork was. It was easily some of the best I’ve ever had. This would’ve been great on a sandwich. As for the sides, the BBQ beans were my fave. Rich and flavorful. The meat in the beans was a tasty touch. The macaroni and cheese was a standard, solid macaroni and cheese. The Apple Crisp dessert was so good. Can’t go wrong with the cinnamon + apple combination. This dessert was beautifully balanced. Not overly sweet or unsweetened. I’d order this meal again in a heartbeat.
Capital Ice Cream
Capital Ice Cream, Hartford’s premier dessert shop, is a Black-owned ice cream shop in Hartford, CT. It’s referred to as “your happy place in Hartford.” Capital Ice Cream was founded by Chantell Boissiere-Kelly and her husband, Shane. The shop is currently temporarily closed and is opening again in Spring 2024. The menu features signature sundaes, milkshakes, ice cream sandwiches, and ice cream cakes. Some of the ice cream flavors offered have been Graham Jam, Maple Walnut, Apple Caramel Pie, and Chocolate Brownie Fudge.
The shop is very small, so it gets busy pretty fast. It took a bit for me to decide since there were so many cool flavors. I ordered Strawberry Cheesecake ice cream with strawberry sauce.
Listen. If I could’ve taken more of this ice cream home with me, I would have. It was creamy and fresh. The strawberry and cheesecake flavors were there. I’m glad I added the strawberry sauce because it really took it to the next level. It made the already wonderful ice cream even better, especially since the sauce had strawberries in it.
WRAP UP
There’s never a dull moment when I visit my best friend in Hartford, CT. It’s become one of my favorite places to get away and explore. Despite what happened on Day 1, we still had a great time. Hartford has some gems, and I hope to go back soon to be able to share more. If you’re looking for a chill, interesting city to visit, I think Hartford is worth the trip.
Addresses:
Rush Bowls – 15 Front St, Hartford, CT 06103
Bears Smokehouse BBQ – 25 Front St, Hartford, CT 06103
Capital Ice Cream – 389 Capitol Ave, Hartford, CT 06106 (temporarily closed)
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Until next time.
Foodish Ways 