Missing Mancha's

[oldbham]

Still trying to find a Tamale anywhere in Birmingham area like the one's we grew up on at Mancha's.
We have tried VJ's, D's and every Mexican joint in the area and no one is even close. Anyone know where an old Birmingham boy can find his Mancha's fix?

[ProtoTD]

I have been searching to no avail for a tamale like Mancha's pretty much since Mancha's closed it's doors. There was nothing like them, especially topped with one of Mancha's hot sauces. I would pay a week's salary for another meal of Mancha's tamales and a Killer Whale. Speaking of, has anyone found anything comparable to the Killer Whale? The Wimp or Agent Orange sauces? And what was the third sauce, the green one called?

[sheilal]

Nuclear Green I think. It's been sssooooo long since I had a Killer Whale I don't even remember what all was in it. Just that it was enormous and completely delicious! Bob Carlton tweeted that Little Donkey's tamales were really good, so I'm going to have to go & try them. I hope I'm not in for another disappointment.

[ProtoTD]

I think you're correct about the green sauce, sheilal. Another friend also said he believed it was Nuclear. The Killer Whales were enormous! Toward the end of Mancha's run, they introduced the Baby Whale, which was about half the size with all the messy goodness. Good luck with Little Donkey's, and if you're not disappointed, please let us Mancha maniacs know!

[sheilal]

Have you tried Kool Korner yet? I've heard good things about their tamales. More cuban style than Mexican (whatever that means).

[oldbham]

Thanks sheilal, I tried Kool Corner's a few months ago, they are not like Mancha's at all, They have very little meat in them and are more meal than anything else.

[Big Daddy]

From what I was told while researching tamales and Mancha's legendary version -- including by a guy whose mission once was to duplicate the recipe -- there are no tamales in Birmingham like theirs anymore. Closest you may come is the Mississippi style, but the consistency of the masa dough will seem wrong to the Mancha's fan.

[oldbham]

Thanks Big Daddy, I have come to that conclusion also. There was a guy from Birmingham that opened a Mexican Rest. down in Foley called Mamacita's that had the closest I found, unfortunately they closed and he disappeared.