Tamales Elena
Mexican restaurant · Watts ·
Afro-Mexican regional specialties from Guerrero, tamales, pozole
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/20077389/2020_07_08_Elena_012.jpg "Tamales Elena by Wonho Frank Lee")
Afro-Mexican regional specialties from Guerrero, tamales, pozole
"The original mobile operation launched in 2007 with the founder and her husband and has remained active over the years, typically opening at 6 a.m. and running through the early afternoon until selling out; it has attracted local fans including restaurateurs who discovered the food via the truck." - Matthew Kang
"Over the years, this family-owned operation has gone from food truck to brick-and-mortar restaurant back to food truck, but one thing has remained constant. Tamales Elena’s puts delicious care into everything on its Afro-Mexican menu, from fried-to-order tacos dorados and chile-stained consommé to Guerrero-style pozole with pork cracklings. And, of course, the namesake tamales made with fluffy, well-seasoned masa. Now parked in front of a recycling center in Watts, the colorful truck sets up a sidewalk table so you can eat your antojitos ASAP, which we recommend if you order the saucy tamal especial #2 bathed in barbacoa drippings. Cash only." - sylvio martins, brant cox, garrett snyder
"While pozole is only a weekend affair at some restaurants, Tamales Elena offers it every day of the week. Tomato and pork define the rich broth and balance each other with some acidity to cut the fattiness. There is a generous amount of tender pork within the soup, paired with chewy bits of hominy that offer a great textural contrast. Toppings lean classic with cabbage, avocado, cheese, radishes, and more." - Rebecca Roland
"After operating as a fantastic but short-lived brick-and-mortar restaurant, this family-run Afro-Mexican spot has returned to its roots as a food truck. Tamales Elena’s incredible tamales have been a constant, with fluffy, well-seasoned masa that cuts like soft butter with a plastic fork. You can order them wrapped in corn husks or banana leaves and choose from fillings like shredded chicken in salsa verde or pork in a spicier-than-expected salsa roja. There’s no wrong choice, but we like the tamal especial #2, which adds a bath in barbacoa consomme loaded with beef. If you need tamales by the dozen for a potluck, Tamales Elena takes phone orders for pick-up. Cash only." - brant cox, sylvio martins
"Over the years, this family-owned operation has gone from food truck to brick-and-mortar restaurant back to food truck, but one thing has remained constant. Tamales Elena’s puts delicious care into everything on its Afro-Mexican menu, from fried-to-order tacos dorados that you dip into salty, chile-stained consommé to the Guerrero-style pozole topped with pork cracklings. And, of course, there’s the namesake tamales made with fluffy, well-seasoned masa. This colorful truck now parks in front of a recycling center in Watts and sets up a sidewalk table so you can eat your antojitos then and there. Most people, however, use this colorful truck for a grab-and-go lunch or pick up the two dozen spicy pork tamales pre-ordered over the phone. Either way, you’ll walk away with an excellent meal at a reasonable price. Cash only. Food Rundown Tamales These tamales are masa-heavy, and, in this case, that’s a fantastic thing. Tamales Elena’s steamed masa is plush, salted, and subtly sweet, and the main reason why these tamales are some of LA’s finest. You can order yours wrapped in corn husks or banana leaves and choose from fillings like cheese with jalapeño, shredded chicken in tart salsa verde, or tender pork in a spicier-than-expected salsa roja. There’s no wrong choice, but we highly suggest asking for the tamal especial #2, which means your tamales arrive bathed in barbacoa consomme loaded with chunks of beef. photo credit: Sylvio Martins Tacos Dorados You’ll hear everyone ordering these freshly fried tacos and for good reason. They arrive hot in your hands, shiny but not oily, and full of rich barbacoa seasoned with all the salt this taco needs. Drizzle in the truck’s zippy salsa verde and dunk your taco into the chile-stained consommé for maximum flavor. photo credit: Sylvio Martins" - Sylvio Martins
