Tamales in the D?

[fburks]

Anybody know where I can get great tamales on a regular basis in the Detroit area? I am from much further south and really miss good, available Mexican food (not tex-mex).

And another thing....when is Detroit getting its own board. I for one could care less what they are eating in Kenosha. Nothing against Kenosha, I just think Detroit deserves its own board.

[berkleybabe]

LaColmena -- aka The Honeybee Market in Mexicantown has a great hot table take out -- tamales about the same price as Evie's 6-7 bucks a dozen. Always available. I couldn't choose which is better... if you call ahead to Evie's you get more choices. Honeybee's guac is the best I've ever had, including what I make at home. These are easy access, good chow whenever you need the tamale fix.

[coney with everything]

I don't know if you'd say they're "great" but I like them...Carnival Market in Pontiac sells them by the dozen, and they are totally worth the trip in any case for their homemade chips and Mexican ingredients.

I agree re: Detroit/Ann Arbor board...we usually have more Detroit activity here than the Seattle board does for SEA.

[Jack Freeman]

Good to know! I'll give them a try!!

[GrueLurks]

I will second the motion for Carnival Market. Best to get them early in the day if you can. They are right down the street from my office and the tamales get bought up fast by my co-workers.

[orangewhip]

I'll give another vote for Evie's. You can't beat the price, you get a dozen for about 7 bucks.
There is another Tamale place on Vernor, next to the Geodesic dome but I can't remember the name of the place.

[rainsux]

> I agree re: Detroit/Ann Arbor board...we usually have more Detroit activity here than the
> Seattle board does for SEA.

True; but Chow is owned by CBS, yes that CBS. They understand left coast and right coast,
which is why Seattle gets its own board. SE Michigan is "fly-over" country, which they find
utterly baffling.

[JanPrimus]

They don't understand a certain brand of Midwestern humor either from my perspective.

[Jack Freeman]

Evie's tamales are good. Not the place to go if you are looking for a sit down restaurant with a great atmosphere but a good place to grap a dozen or two tamales. The hot sauce isn't very hot...I don't particularly like super hot but having eaten them with friends multiple times that do, they had to doctor it up to make it hot enough!

-----
Evie's Tamales
3454 Bagley St, Detroit, MI 48216

[jjspw]

Detroit doesn't do Mexican tamales very well. There are a couple places that have decent, but not spectacular tamales:

Tamaleria Restaurant Nuevo Leon
2669 W Vernor Hwy
Detroit, MI 48216
[phone]

Taqueria El Michoacano
64075 Van Dyke Rd
Washington, MI 48095
[phone]
-- their tacos are better than the tamales, although their tamales really are some of the best in the Detroit area

However, Detroit has some EXCELLENT Central American style tamales:

Pollo Chapin
2054 Junction St
Detroit, MI 48218
Neighborhood: Southwest Detroit
[phone]
-- Guatemalan style, so the masa is much softer (almost like a cream of wheat) and is wrapped in banana leaf instead of corn husk. Pulled chicken is the only available protein. Served with two sides (curtido, etc.) and soup, so it's enough for a meal (~$6).

Pupusería y Restaurante Salvadoreño
3149 Livernois Ave
Detroit, MI 48210
Neighborhood: Southwest Detroit
[phone]
-- El Salvadoran style, masa is sort of in-between the Mexican and Guatemalan style, but also wrapped in banana leaf. They have chicken, pork, and elote (corn) versions. The pork is better than the chicken, but the elote is my favorite. It's sort of sweet and creamy, kind of like a tex-mex "corn cake".