Black Owned Business Week: Hot Pots

Listen, because I am going to drop some serious knowledge on you right now. Hot Pots on Main Street is what's really good in the hood.

A couple months ago, a man came by my office to hand me a menu for Hot Pots' new truck that would be stationed in the Old State House Square. A coworker told me that she was excited to try the truck's food, because the restaurant's was "off the chain." Though I don't eat much in one sitting, I consider myself a bit of a foodie. I know what I like and I'll drive to the ends of the Earth to get it. So when I was told there was a soul food restaurant that I hadn't tried, I was a bit offended that not only had I not heard of it, but they had been around long enough to expand to a truck. My coworker goes on to say that the restaurant has mac and cheese, collard greens, potato salad and other delicious sides "just like your mom would make." Shows how much you know, lady, because my mother only cooks like that once a year, therefore I have a serious soul food deficiency at all other times.

First I walked to the truck and got some fried fish that really did taste like someone in my family would've made it. I could just see my grandmother rolling some whiting in corn meal and emptying her well seasoned grease into a pan from the can on the back of the stove. As I devoured the perfectly flaky fish, I decided that a trip to the actual restaurant was in order.

Before going, I asked a couple people if they knew where it was. They looked me up and down and said, "I don't know if you'd like it on that side of town" with a tone that suggested the restaurant was on the corner of Rape and Stabby. I've lived in Hartford most of my life, so I know that though unfortunate incidents do happen in my fair city, I'm not going to let fear keep me from trying out new things on certain sides of town. (especially at lunch time on a Tuesday. C'mon!) A quick Google search showed me that the restaurant was at the intersection of Main and Nelson, a stone's throw away from the church I grew up in and my old hair dresser. If I had any fears, they were now gone.

The place is small with just one table, so much like a Chinese restaurant, staying isn't really encouraged. (Except I hear that outside of Hartford, Chinese restaurants have multiple tables? That's insane to me. Chinese is to be eaten in front of the TV or maybe, maybe around the table with your friends directly out of the box like people do on TV.) The menu is short, which I like because choices just make my brain hurt. I ordered the bbq chicken meal with collard greens and candied yams, along with a side of mac & cheese because I couldn't drive all the way there and NOT try the mac. The staff was pleasant and got right to work on my meal while I had a conversation with a man who warned me that I would want to finish my entire plate, but I wouldn't be able to. I laughed and told him about my awesome power of self-control and he kinda laughed back at me as if to say, "yeah right."

When my order came up, I was handed what felt like 5lbs of food. The whole way back to my office, the smells taunted me. I never got to a long enough light to reach in the bag and nosh on a chicken leg. Back at my office, I opened the container to a massive amount of oh.my.gosh...pardon my French but fucking delicious food. yeah...F Bomb up in this piece. That's how good. I don't know if you're familiar with the phrase "smack your mama good," but let's just say my mother is lucky she works in Wethersfield. (or maybe I'm lucky, because I'm pretty sure slapping my mother is grounds for a coma) That guy warned me that I'd want to finish my plate, and he didn't lie. I think I ate until food was ready to come out of my ears.

For $11 ($8 for the chicken along with 2 sides of your choice, $3 for the extra side I got) I was able to eat lunch, and split the leftovers with my girlfriend for dinner the next day. I'm sure other people don't eat as little as I, but even those with big appetites would surely get their money's worth from here.

Hot Pots
2374 Main Street
Hartford, CT
(860) 241-0200)
Hours: Tuesday - Saturday 11a-7:30p (I saw a sign that also mentioned that they are opened Sundays until 4:30p. If I went to church, that would be a perfect after church meal! Since I do not, heathen game day dinner? I think so.)