Your Guide to Tamales In New Orleans

The Journal is on the delta tamale train too. Last Friday they wrote about Mississippi's tamale festival and included a bit about Donald Link's participation.

Hot Tamales The Next Big Trend?

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"It's popular now to have street food on a fine dining menu," said Rogan Lechthaler, who, with his Mississippi-born wife, Abby, owns the restaurant the Downtown Grocery in Ludlow, Vt. "Tamales are a cool medium that not everybody's doing—unlike tacos and Korean barbecue." Mr. Lechthaler ended up adding the tamale he'd entered—made with smoked Vermont lamb and garnished with Vermont buttermilk crème fraîche—to the Grocery's menu.

Donald Link, whose New Orleans restaurant empire includes his flagship Herbsaint, came with chefs Stephen Stryjewski (his partner in Cochon and Butcher) and Ryan Prewitt (his partner in Pêche). Their tamale was a riff on one of Butcher's star offerings—the boudin—mixing the sausage's meat and seasonings with cornmeal instead of rice.

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Hadn't seen this Eater article. Thanks for the link, Gris. Them @ High Hat are killer .. if not a tad overpriced. I'll seek out some of these other places.

Next big trend??

The Delta style that comes out of that region is awesome. I expect High Hat's are made in the Delta, by whom, I don't know.

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Manuel's was the best for me

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I still have nostalgia for Manuel's, but it's not the best.

Anyone bought the tamales from the pickup truck on claiborne near the Save A Lot?? I've debated stopping a few times.

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The snobs might not agree but Mickey Brown has some solid tamales, especially if you are lucky enough to score some deer ones.

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I thought you had to supply the deer for those?

And those are always in my freezer

I like Guillory's- they remind me of Manuel's. Havent tried any of the others mentioned in this article.

I wouldnt go out of my way to try any of the others mentioned on this list, but I wouldnt be against it if I was already there, or it wasnt inconvenient.

Tamales are a good snack/meal, but arent the most-amazing things in the world, sort of like tacos and hot dogs. The convenience factor and cheapness is what made them appealing- there was usually a Manuel's hot tamale van someplace where you knew- on Canal Blvd. by the Piggly Wiggly, on Vets by Ruth's Chris across the street from Schwegmann's near Division St., etc.

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Tamales are a good snack/meal, but arent the most-amazing things in the world

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To me Manuel's were unlike any others I've ever had in my life. They were unique in taste, texture and amount of corn. For many, Manuel's just had something special that made them more than just a tamale.

Admittedly, I grew up on them, but they were truly a destination item. My parents way back when, and I today, would drive a long way for them if necessary. They were a Saturday night treat for us as kids.

I don't think I ever had a Manuel's tamale. I feel so deprived.