Show of Hands at Alamo Tamale Factory

Too many tamales are dry and lifeless, too stodgy and with little to no filling. Not the homemade ones at Alamo Tamale Factory (2310 Navigation Blvd., 713--223-1446) — but make sure you get the homemade tamales and not the machine-made version. The former are available by the dozen ($8) in beef, chicken or a combination of six of each. It's not only the silky texture that sets these tamales apart from all others, it's also the filling — copious quantities of large pieces of chicken and shredded beef. They come with plentiful amounts of red and green salsa for added flavor and kick.