Tamale of my dreams

Ever since La Guadalupana on 26th and Kedzie closed some years back Mrs. Trpt and I have been searching high and low for decent tamales. We have sampled extensively, vendors on the street, various groceries and restaurants. A place Steve Dolinsky recommended on Kedzie around 55th. Meh. Nothing hit the spot. A couple of weeks ago I asked a coworker from Aguascalientes where he gets good tamales. He called his sister and asked what is the name of the place where they get the great tamales. She said Carniceria La Altena. It's on the southeast side, 88th and Escanaba. (Escanaba is two blocks west of Commercial). So today being a brilliant Sunday we drove down and picked up the two dozen we ordered the night before. (It's a good idea to call ahead and reserve a quantity, otherwise they tend to run out by Sunday morning). One dozen green, one dozen of rajas with queso. It's what I have been searching for. They are astoundingly good, definitely on the spicy side. And they had carnitas too, so we snagged half a pound, and a pint of homemade salsa verde. Ten bucks per dozen, and the carnitas about nine bucks a pound. Wow. It's really a hole in the wall, but there were people double parked half the block while running in to pick up orders. Tiny placed stuffed to the gills with Mexican products. If you need camaron molido or fresh cilantro, they can do that. But the tamales and carnitas are the draw, best I've found in Chicago. Didn't get any fresh chicharones but they had them too, next time. I am ecstatic, I feel like I just won the lottery. And they take plastic.

Carniceria La Altena
8827 S. Escanaba
773-734-7070

This is great news! Do they have the full variety?

My Bride and I would frequent the La Guadalupana location on 26th often and their selection of tamales were unsurpassed. Beef, pork chicken with both mild and hot available and bean and cheese as well as fruit added to the variety. Half and full dozen packages too.

After they closed I did some research and found out they had another location at...

LA Guadalupana‎
4637 South Archer Avenue
Chicago, IL 60632
(773) 847-3191

... bit this appears to be the factory location and just deals wholesale. The times we stopped by they were closed as they have just daytime, weekday hours.

We will be visiting Carniceria La Altena soon! Thanks for the tip.

trpt2345 wrote:and the carnitas about nine bucks a pound. I am ecstatic, I feel like I just won the lottery. And they take plastic.

Carniceria La Altena
8827 S. Escanaba
773-734-7070

I'll sell you and all your friends carnitas for 7.00 / lb all day long, and I'll deliver any order of 15lbs or more free of charge with 5 dozen el milagro tortillas de maiz.

Seriously though. I'm always on the lookout for trying good, nay, GREAT tamales. So I'll definitely be trying this joint. Question: were the rajas con queso made with a hard cheese, or a melting cheese?

seebee wrote:

trpt2345 wrote:and the carnitas about nine bucks a pound. I am ecstatic, I feel like I just won the lottery. And they take plastic.

Carniceria La Altena
8827 S. Escanaba
773-734-7070

I'll sell you and all your friends carnitas for 7.00 / lb all day long, and I'll deliver any order of 15lbs or more free of charge with 5 dozen el milagro tortillas de maiz.

Seriously though. I'm always on the lookout for trying good, nay, GREAT tamales. So I'll definitely be trying this joint. Question: were the rajas con queso made with a hard cheese, or a melting cheese?

It was a melting cheese, chihuahua or something. But VERY tasty. Where do you sell carnitas?

Panther in the Den wrote:This is great news! Do they have the full variety?

They don't do half dozens and they don't do dulce. It appears to me that if they get the demand they will meet it. Service was stellar too, very friendly and helpful.

trpt2345 wrote:Where do you sell carnitas?

Wherever he can buy the raw materials at 88 cents a pound.

trpt2345 wrote:

seebee wrote:

trpt2345 wrote:and the carnitas about nine bucks a pound. I am ecstatic, I feel like I just won the lottery. And they take plastic.

Carniceria La Altena
8827 S. Escanaba
773-734-7070

I'll sell you and all your friends carnitas for 7.00 / lb all day long, and I'll deliver any order of 15lbs or more free of charge with 5 dozen el milagro tortillas de maiz.

Seriously though. I'm always on the lookout for trying good, nay, GREAT tamales. So I'll definitely be trying this joint. Question: were the rajas con queso made with a hard cheese, or a melting cheese?

It was a melting cheese, chihuahua or something. But VERY tasty. Where do you sell carnitas?

Kind of a tongue in cheek statement from me. I'm assuming you mistyped the price. I don't think I've ever even seen carnitas for more than 5.00/lb

seebee wrote:Kind of a tongue in cheek statement from me. I'm assuming you mistyped the price. I don't think I've ever even seen carnitas for more than 5.00/lb

Seebee,

I don't have current prices,* but back in Jan '06 Carnitas Don Pedro was $5.80/lb and Sabas Vega $5.95/lb. I'm guessing prices have since risen.

Enjoy,
Gary

*I checked pictures from my files for prices.

My bad, the carnitas at La Altena are $4.99 a pound. My wife told me it was $4.50 for half a pound, turned out to be slightly less than a pound.