22 Essential Tamales in Los Angeles

"Great news for tamales fans. Afro-Mexican traditional cook Maria Lorenzo and her talented daughters opened a drive-thru location earlier this year that features a pozoleria, regional dishes from La Costa Chica like mole costeño, beef tongue with plantains in a rich sauce, and tamales in banana leaves. Whether pork in salsa roja, chicken in salsa verde, or cheese and spinach, the banana leaf tamales are the real tradition from Lorenzo’s region in the Mexican state of Guerrero, with a fatty masa soaks up the spicy stews and delivers a lot of flavor. Corn husk tamales are available as well." - Bill Esparza