This dessert is made of huge pastry squares stacked one on top of the other with pieces of mango sandwiched in between. Although the food doesn't support the restaurant's Egyptian theme, the look itself is pretty cool on its own. I love the yellow pyramidal awning over the front door and the busts of Neferteri and Ramses that guard the private dining room in the rear. Despite all the decorative allusions to ancient Egypt, Hotep's has a crisp, urban feel. My only complaint is that the tables are too small for four.
Space is so cramped that replacing china and glassware becomes very risky business indeed.
Service is friendly, but the experience of the staff varies enormously. One night we have a waiter who clearly knows his way around Hotep's menu and the cuisine. On another visit, the waitress is game but largely clueless. Judging by the near-empty dining room, it seems most Hartford foodies are clueless about Hotep's, too. 283-291 Asylum St., Hartford.