Santa Masa Tamaleria

-Grubbing in Chicago  
Chef Driven Mexican in Dunning

You already know this but ‘The Bear’ is back for a 3rd season on Hulu. What you might not have known is Santa Masa Tamaleria is also back. The story of this masa forward restaurant on Addison began back in 2020 in the middle of the pandemic when restaurants had to close. Chef Danny Espinoza had plans to open a Mexican seafood restaurant with his wife but they had to scratch that idea. Instead they pivoted to tamales which they sold out of a commercial kitchen in Avondale but when the city started to open back up they moved to the suburbs where they took jobs outside of the restaurant world. As time went by they missed cooking and yearned for those interactions that working in a restaurant can bring and with that they opened Santa Masa Tamaleria at 7544 W Addison.

Recently Opened in Dunning 

Classic tamales made with corn husk are front and center here as their old pop up helped spawn the restaurant. Both Danny and his wife Jhoana come from tamale making families, his from Michoacán and hers from Mexico City. The menu lets you choose from five tamales including the classic red and green varieties made with chicken in tomatillo sauce and chicken in Guajillo Chile sauce. 

Tamale at Santa Masa Tamaleria 

They also feature a Tamale Del Mes which takes us back to my previous mention of the The Bear. This month’s special is an Italian beef tamale that pre-dates the show but they brought it back to celebrate the release of the third season. If I'm being honest an Italian beef tamal sounds like something you would make for clicks on TikTok but this is hardly a gimmick. Chef Danny shows off his food knowledge and fine dining training by pulling off one of the most surprising bites of the year. He starts by roasting a piece of top round which also produces the gravy which is seasoned with the essence of Ancho and Pasilla chiles, Mexican oregano and more. The beef is sliced and mixed into fresh masa which goes into grilled banana leaves the same way a Oaxacan tamale is made. “Escabeche-esque” giardiniera is added behind the counter and a little cup of the gravy (au jus) is poured over when served. High quality ingredients throughout make for a fantastic snack. I asked Danny if he’s ever considered putting his beef in some sort of torta roll as it would easily be one of the best beefs in the city. I have no idea if that’ll happen but he did seem intrigued. You have until the end of the month to try the Italian beef tamale as its August replacement will be Corunda tamales - a regional variation from Michoacán.

Italian Beef Tamale at Santa Masa Tortilleria 

Tamales aren’t the only thing Danny is passionate about. I asked about the green chorizo used in one of the tacos and Danny explained how his love for it stems back to the first time he tried this regional recipe from Toluca. He told me a story of how enamored he was when he first came across it on a trip with his uncle. Upon learning of chorizo de verde estilo Toluca he became obsessed with making his own and as time has passed he's developed a recipe which he plans to package and sell to restaurants and supermarkets across the city thru his other venture called Santo Chorizo. But for now you can try Chef Danny’s delicious green chorizo in a taco dressed with fried breakfast potatoes and pickled onions on a fresh pressed corn tortilla. The chorizo is deep green due to all the earthy ingredients used to make it. The potatoes were a nice touch as this taco reminded me of a popular stand in Mexico City called Ricos Tacos Toluca that puts fries on their green chorizo tacos. 

Green Chorizo Taco at Santa Masa Tamaleria 

On my initial visit to try the Italian beef tamal Danny had waxed poetic about his weekend special pozole so I made plans to go back for some of that when the weekend rolled around. Although his family makes a red version Danny has come up with his own recipe which is green. It’s pretty traditional in the sense of the dish but a few chef driven tweeks like chunks of soft and tender pork butt and fresh grilled tostadas make this one stand out. I think it might be the best bowl of pozole in town right now. 

Pozole 

Santa Masa Tamaleria
7544 W Addison St
Chicago, IL 60634
(312) 982-9306
Website

Roadfood in Biloxi

Eating like a local:
Regional food specialties
- Exploring Mississippi's Gulf Coast 

We did a daytrip to Biloxi on the drive back to Chicago last year, which we did through Alabama, as you can see HERE. It’s an hour west of Mobile so we headed out early one morning with plans to indulge in some local eats while catching a Biloxi Shuckers minor league baseball game. Biloxi we once the “seafood capital of the world” and it’s still a big business there but the casinos have taken over as the areas biggest draw, both from an local employers standpoint and also from a visitors angle. Most people visiting are there for some gambling. But not us. We were there to eat (crawfish) as its location along the Gulf of Mexico just 1.5 hours from New Orleans means you’ll find plenty of local options. Local as in lots of seafood mixed with plenty of influence from it’s Gulf coast location. 

Sights from Biloxi 
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Le Bakery 

Our first stop up was a Vietnamese bakery known for excellent pastries and a top notch Bahn Mi. The story of Le Bakery is one that begins in Vietnam during U.S occupation. Le Nguyen, the owners mother, was twenty-seven in 1975, when the American forces finally pulled out of Vietnam. She was given passage on a military boat to Philippines, where the US had a naval base. Eventually she landed in San Diego, where her daughter Sue was born. After settling in Southern California and re-marrying they opened a restaurant before taking a trip to Mississippi one summer. They fell in love with both the climate (which was similar to Vietnam) and also the local Vietnamese community who was thriving in the local shrimping industry. They decided to stay in Biloxi and open up a small shop where they sold baked goods to the local Vietnamese community. It wasn’t until after Hurricane Katrina hit (their building was spared) that they converted their small bakery into a full fledged one that also had a cafe. It’s a no frills spot where locals will line up upon opening. They come for fresh baked treats, both savory and sweet, with options like Cajun meat pies sitting alongside the most amazing praline and pecan rolls. Extra crisp baguettes are baked fresh every morning and are the anchor for awesome Vietnamese po boy sandwiches which is what they call Bahn Mi's down here. 

Breakfast at Le Bakery 
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Taranto's Crawfish

Seeing as how it was crawfish season this next stop was a must for us. Taranto’s is the name that will most always come up when discussion of Biloxi’s best crawfish boils is had. It’s also oozing with an old Gulf coast atmosphere and some friendly Southern hospitality. Locally caught and boiled Royal Red shrimps were as good if not better than the Crawfish which really hit the spot after not having any for a couple years due to the pandemic and what not. The gumbo was tasty too. But the surprise star of the show was the waitress recommended shrimp and crawfish bisque. Very cool spot. 

Lunch at Taranto's
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Doris' Hot Tamales

The last time I was in Mississippi before this was more than a decade ago when we took an epic roadtrip through the Delta. We ate tons of Delta style tamales on that trip and they’ve been one of my favorite regional foods ever since then, I’m always on the prowl for them when in an area they might be found. While just about anywhere in the state is fair game for them the majority of spots are found in the Delta. But there’s at least one spot to be found in Biloxi and it’s reminiscent of the tamale stands that we visited on that 2012 roadtrip to New Orleans. Doris’ Hot Tamales was celebrating their 45th year in business when we visited last April. Its namesake was such a beloved local figure that the city named November 2nd “Doris’ Hot Tamales Day”. She’s since passed away but her daughter and grandkids were very happy to hear we were visiting from Chicago as they were headed that way for a family trip later that summer (I gave them some good pizza recs). I think I got a half dozen hot tamales to start and then ended up with six more after putting down the first six. I’ve never had a bad hot tamale down here and Doris’ was no exception. Click the link to my report from the Delta circa 2012 if you want to learn more about this fantastic regional snack with African-American roots. 

Hot Tamales at Doris' Hot Tamales 
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Yul's Place 

After walking along the water and grabbing a couple drinks at a waterfront bar we made our way to the second crawfish boil of the day (get ‘em while you can). Yul’s Place was just my type of spot with its isolated island location reached by bridge and away from the casinos and such. Yul’s Place is a popular stop with locals for booze and boils and a good time to go with it. We sat out on the second level deck overlooking the coast. The crawfish served here were much more aggressively spiced than the previous stop so I preferred them but would be happy with either, especially here in Chicago. 

Crawfish at Yul's Place 
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Quave Brothers Po' Boys

With its Gulf Coast location just a short ride from New Orleans, po boys are popular too in the Biloxi area. There’s a handful of spots that specialize in them but we only had the stomache space for one. I ended up picking Quave Brothers off of pictures and reviews. It’s tough to pick which style of po boy I prefer, beef or seafood. I guess a fried shrimp more times than not but I also like a roast beef po boy now and then and so I was told they make a great one here. So after going back and forth we decided to try the roast beef with debris. Though some spots will serve it sliced it’s much better when in debris form which was the case with this place. Po Boy spots in Biloxi will press the sandwiches which is interesting. Not quite up to NOLA standards but better than most of them from outside of there. 

Roast Beef Po Boy at Quave Brothers Po Boy 
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Parrain's Jambalaya Kitchen 

Parrain’s Jambalaya Kitchen was by the baseball stadium so we made plans to eat there before walking over to MGM Park for a Biloxi Shuckers baseball game. Parrains is a Cajun owned spot that gets lots of love for their jambalaya plus all the other Cajun dishes like boudin balls and gumbo. We shared a plate of classic chicken and sausage jambalaya and each got a cup of gumbo. Good stuff. 

Dinner at Perrain's Jambalaya Kitchen 
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The Project Lounge 

They did not have the char grilled oysters (discontinued) we thought they would at the baseball game so we ended up at this local bar for a burger afterward. The Project Lounge is a dive type spot that's not too rugged if that makes sense. The crowd was young and looking for a good time thus there were no bad vibes detected. Some say this is the place go for Biloxi's best burger (steak sandwiches are also popular). We split a cheeseburger which was of the thicker variety and cooked up right there behind the bar. Pretty standard stuff as far as ingredients and cooking of it goes, fresh beef, cheap bun cooked on a hot grill, but the burger itself was definitely not standard. It was f'ing awesome. 

Cheeseburger at The Project Lounge 
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See ya next time @chibbqking 

Roadfood in Chattanooga

Eating like a local:
Regional food specialties 
- Stopping in at five Scenic City favorites 

When we drove down to South Florida this last December I decided we'd stop in Chattanooga as opposed to Nashville or Atlanta. Reason being was an easy one and that was bc I'd never been to the Choo Choo City as an adult, we passed through on a roadtrip when I was a kid. It's location along the Tennessee River in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains is a beauty. Since it's a part of the south I figured there was some good grub to be had and that was verified on our short two night stay. 

Sights from Chattanooga 
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Zarzour's Cafe 

I'd wanted to visit Chattanooga’s oldest restaurant (est. 1918) for a long time leading up to this trip. Zarzour’s Cafe has been on my hit list going back to the heyday of Roadfood. It was founded by a Lebanese immigrant from Syria and its currently under its fourth generation of ownership. With limited hours (11a-2p M-F) it’s a lunch only stop that according to some serves up the best burger in all of Tennessee. Actually it was named best in south by Southern Living. Burgers and hamburger steaks with gravy are always on the menu while the daily specials usually feature two entree offerings. Desserts switch by the day. A delicious rendition of the Tex-Mex favorite King Ranch Chicken casserole was on offer this visit as was some of the best banana pudding I’ve ever tried. As for the burger it was a memorable one that can only be matched with time. While there’s nothing particularly unique about the ingredients used to make these, that flattop has flavor that can only come with a few generations worth of customers. As good as that burger was (one of the best) it’s the hospitality from here I’ll remember most. The type you just don’t find too often outside of the south. I basically chose to stay 2 nights in Chattanooga bc that would allow me to finally stop at Zarzour's and it was worth it. 

Lunch at Zarzour's Cafe 
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Miss Griffin's Foot Long Hot Dogs 

While researching spots in Chattanooga I came to learn of the chopped weenie plate. It's a hyper regional dish that only a few places in town still make. Miss Griffins (est. 1939) is one of those spots. They place sliced southern style Elm Hill brand wieners on top of a bean heavy chili that's painted with mustard and hot sauce. Both Texas toast and cole slaw come served on the side. I enjoyed this dish more than I thought I would. I read it's a fave of Samuel L. Jackson who's from here originally. 

Chopped Weenie Plate at Miss Griffin's 
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Uncle Larry's Restaurant

When searching the city's best restaurants Uncle Larry's is bound to come up. It's a locally owned spot that hasn't been around as long as the first couple of spots but it feels every bit as locally loved. Uncle Larry was the designated fish fryer at family functions, which yes is a thing in the south. He was convinced to open his own fish house and did just that back in 2013. Today they have a few locations with the original on MLK Drive. The motto at Uncle Larry's is "fish so good it will smack you" and that was a pretty hard smack if I may say. Some of the best southern fried fish I've ever come across and the sides were no slouch either. Pictured is the combo plate which featured catfish, whiting, perch. 

Fried Fish at Uncle Larry's 
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Champy's Fried Chicken 

If you like fried chicken and forty's you might want to check out Champy's. It's a locally grown chain with eight locations in Tennessee and Alabama. The original is here in Chattanooga and I decided to go not for the 40 oz. bottles of beer but their other specialty which is Delta style hot tamales. These are hard to find outside of the Mississippi Delta and it would seem as though the founders of Champy's were very aware of that fact as they claim a love for the Delta is one of the restaurants inspirations. I will just about always stop for Delta style tamales when I see them which isn't all that often. Champy's makes a good one but then again I've never had a bad one. For those that have never indulged in a Delta style tamale its different than others as it's made with cornmeal and what's usually spiced ground beef. They're rolled in corn husks and cooked in liquid until just mushy. One of my favorite regional treats. The fried chicken was also good but you can find that all over the south. 

Fried Chicken and Hot Tamales at Champy's Fried Chicken 
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Sugar's Ribs

There weren't a ton of options for dinner on a Monday night so Sugar's Ribs won out over less desirable spots. The reviews were good but what constitutes good barbecue can vary greatly from person to person. I figured we were in the south and it's the ribs people seem to love so why not give them a try since I too love a good rack of ribs. Actually I enjoy both the smoked until there's a nice chewy bark type and also the fall off the bone tender variety. These were the latter with just a light touch of smoke. They had a unique setup as far as the smoker goes but there just wasn't much smoke flavor. Sides were all above average with a cup of crisply fried potato chunks leading the way. 

Rib Platter at Sugar's Ribs 
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See ya next time @chibbqking

La Autentica De Guerrero

- Eating like a Mayan King in the Windy City

There's 31 states (plus one capital) that make up the political division in Mexico. Their cuisines vary by region. Some of these states are heavily represented in specific regions of US states. For example there's said to be close to a million people from Puebla that live in the Tri-state area thus you can find lots of Poblano food in areas like Queens. Across the country in Los Angeles you'll find the largest Oaxacan population outside of Oaxaca and so on. Here in Chicago large chunks of the local Mexican communities have ties to either Jalisco or Michoacán. But don't forget about Guerrero.

Newly Opened in Belmont Cragin 

Chicago is home to the second largest population of Mexican immigrants in the U.S. Most people immediately think of places like Pilsen and Little Village when it comes to Mexican communities and culture within Chicago. But they're hardly the only spots you'll find large groups of people with Mexican ancestry. Chicago is home to more than 300,000 people from state of Guerrero and the majority of them seem to be scattered across the Northwest side in areas like Hermosa and Belmont-Cragin. So I wasn't surprised when I first saw La Autentica de Guerrero had opened on Central. 

Picaditas at La Autentica de Guerrero 

The regional food of Guerrero revolves around it's agricultural staples such as corn, beans and tomatoes. Picaditas are a menu item you'll find at all of Chicago's Guerrerense run Mexican restaurants. They're a popular corn based antojito in Guerrero where grandmas take balls of masa and flatten them into little corn cakes that are topped with cheese and a warm red or green salsa that's usually made with manteca. Not much different than sopes but in Guerrero they're called picaditas. I've noticed that a side of toasted sunflower seeds is common at Guerrerense run restaurants. Don't sleep on the gorditas estilo Guererro, also made with manteca. The barbacoa is also really good. 

Gordita with Barbacoa 

Thursday is pozole day in Guerrero though I'm sure it's a popular meal seven days a week. Nonetheless on Thursdays they celebrate with pozole throughout the state. La Autentica de Guerrero serves their pozole every day and offers it up in green, red, and white. It's a huge bowl served up with all of the traditional fillings including shredded pork. You may have noticed most of the city's pozole specialists hail from Guerrero which means you can find some really good versions on the NW side. 

   Pozole at La Autentica de Guerrero

On weekends they do Tamales Nejos at La Autentica de Guerrero. These are another regional treat from the state of Guerrero. These tamales are flat and come served unstuffed inside a steamed banana leaf. The steamed masa is used as a delivery vehicle for mole which you cover the tamale in before eating. I've only had these at one other spot but they were both pretty different in that La Autentica de Guerrero serves theirs with a green chicken mole (the other time I had them they came with a red mole paste). As someone whos loved the taste of masa and tamales since youth I find these to be quite pleasing even though some might find them to be filler. The combo of the tamale covered with the light in viscosity mole topped with chopped raw onion is one that I enjoyed. 

Tamales Nejos at La Autentica de Guerrero 

La Autentica de Guerrero
3051 N Central Ave Unit A
Chicago, IL 60634
(708) 831-4188