Posted by ayersian
, September 26, 2008 07:13
As I tell people new to the site, the Roadfood.com Forums are a wealth of insider foodie information. Without RF poster smcasey's mention of Augie & Ray's in East Hartford, I might've never discovered their delectable hot dogs and milkshakes. Located at 314 Main Street, just a few blocks from the University of Connecticut's Rentschler Field, the large restaurant features covered picnic tables. Opened by two policemen in 1946, the original name was Augie & Ray's Milk Bar, spotlighting their special attention to dairy treats. But this local institution is also famous for their homemade chili sauce, a peppery relish not far removed from the same that graces Blackie's hot dogs down in Cheshire. I ordered my Augie Doggie (pictured above) with their regular meat chili, then I added the potent brown relish and spicy mustard at the condiments bar. I couldn't resist a milkshake, too, but they were out of chocolate ice cream. I settled for strawberry, and to my surprise, its pale pink froth (below) revealed an incredibly smooth berry flavor. Alas, I picked fries over their celebrated onion rings, the recipe for which has been perfected over the last 60 years—a fact that I only found, sadly, in researching this article! The prospect of heavenly o-rings will draw me back to Augie & Ray's real soon.
Check back tomorrow for the final chapter in the Summertime Eats in CT series!
