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.
This article appears in Sep 4-10, 2008.