On our list of favorite Mexican comfort foods, the tamal would likely come in near the top. Simple, yet extremely versatile, tamales share pre-Hispanic roots with the tortilla. A corn masa very similar to the kind created during the nixtamalization process to make tortillas is used as the base for delicious tamales. Recently, we found a first-rate version of this ancient food from a new street vendor located just blocks from the Monumento a la Revolución.
As far as looks go, Los Vaporcitos doesn’t make much of an impression. When we arrived on a cool, cloudy morning, the corner stand consisted of little more than a small table, a menu sign and a large, blue beach umbrella that protected it all from the city’s summer rainy season. But where backstreets eating is concerned, we know not to judge on looks, and Los Vaporcitos is no exception.
Luis Luna started Los Vaporcitos with his business partner, Jesus Martínez, seven months earlier in the northern neighborhood of Lindavista before expanding a month ago to this corner. Luna, a native Nicaraguan, came to Mexico several years ago to study at one of the most prestigious culinary colleges in the city. Before jumping into the business arena, he worked in several restaurants as chef and regional manager and fell in love with Mexican cuisine. One of his mentors was Gerardo Vázquez Lugo, owner of Nicos, one of our favorite restaurants in the city.
These tamaleros make the fillings and corn masa themselves and then add lard to the mix, which helps to create a fluffier dough once cooked. Luna spreads the masa into either a dried corn husk or banana leaf, depending on the type of tamal, and fills it with stuffing, ties the package shut and places the tamales in large pots to be slowly steam-cooked. At Los Vaporcitos, there are several types of tamales available, both savory and sweet.
We took a seat on the stand’s plastic stools and ordered savory first: a mole almendrado (almond mole) and verdolaga con costilla de puerco en salsa verde (purslane with pork ribs in green salsa). They were fished out of a large metal pot, cut open and placed on a plate. The steaming contents, both wrapped in corn husks, promised an inviting, warm meal on that dreary morning, and we dug in quickly.
Unlike some vendors who skimp on ingredients, serving disappointing tamales of mostly bland masa, Los Vaporcitos spared nothing. The lovely mole almendrado and shredded pork filling was thick and rich from the first bite to the last. This was equally true of the verdolagas con costilla, a tomatillo-based green sauce over tender strips of pork. As we ate, Luna told us how he used only the highest-quality ingredients – and we could definitely tell.
Having polished off our main course, we decided to try a sweet tamal. Sweet tamales are usually hit or miss in the city, but following Luna’s recommendation, we selected a guayaba con queso crema, or a guava tamal with cream cheese. The orange-colored corn masa was infused with bits of guava, and there were larger chunks of fruit in the exquisite, rosemary-infused cream cheese filling. This was one of the best sweet tamales we’ve ever had.
We washed our tamales down with a delicious guava atole, a corn-based drink. “I don’t use a lot of sugar to sweeten the atoles,” Luna told us. “I go to the market and pick the ripest fruit, almost to the point of spoiling. People like it better that way. Once they’ve tried it, they always come back for more.”
We feel lucky to be in a city full of such places that take a simple concept and from so little create something truly special. We won’t be surprised to return to Los Vaporcitos in a few months to find a dedicated fan base. Count us in.
Published on July 11, 2014
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