El Tamal Brings Flavor to Laramie

Food is not fast. Nor is it standardized, microwaved or pre-determined.

Such is the education given by my first visit to El Tamal when I sampled a meal that felt more of a journey across flavors and tastes and less an assembly of meats, grains and vegetables.

Please note that I say first visit because I have since gone back, and I will go back again.  Allow me to continue.

Located in the lot that many have recently come to know as El Zarape, El Tamal is a Laramie restaurant offering Northern Mexican and New Mexican cuisine.  Ownership changed hands in mid-December 2011 and the new restaurant (which still looks a lot like the old restaurant) officially opened with the New Year.

The manager and co-owner of the establishment is Pauline Reyes, who decided a restaurant was a good idea after a lifetime of urging from friends.

My friends had always told me that my tamales were so good, I should make money off them.

Now, that is exactly what she is trying to do.  (Note: the tamales are worth the money).

Pauline does not do all of the cooking however as El Tamal is currently assisted by 5 employees.  My favorite of the 5 might be Chris Juarez, who happened to be in the kitchen the day I first stopped by, and was the artist behind my dining adventure at El Tamal.

The meal began, as I can confirm everyone’s does, with homemade chips that arrive at the table warm, crisp and succinctly salted.  As Pauline would later tell me, literally, when a person walks through the door, their chips are cooked.

These chips were accompanied by four different salsas: one tomato-based salsa which offered heat (a comfortable level of heat only for those madly ambitious to destroy their taste buds); one spectacularly fresh and simple light salsa based of jalapenos and onions; one flavor-filled and again, surprisingly simple jalapeno based salsa providing subtle heat and intense flavor of the fresh jalapenos; and another salsa based with peppers and garlic that was deceptively sweet yet layered with deep flavors that will bring you back bite after bite.

Then came the meal. I will note at this point that my meal is not typical to the menu as I was given a sampler so to speak.  There was sweet marinated chicken for fajitas, a beef enchilada smothered with a delicious red sauce, pork flautas cooked to perfection and an asado taco. (In the gallery of photos- you will not find a picture of the taco… I must admit, I was overwhelmed upon receiving my food, and needed to try this taco, which looked and smelled terrific.  One bite turned to two, and…  my taco was gone before I had a chance even consider taking a picture.)

A surprising trait of the food at El Tamal that certainly takes a back seat to the taste, but is still worth recognition, is how photogenic it seems.  Everything at El Tamal looks good.  When you receive your food, it looks too good to be true; though, I can confirm, honesty is delivered.  Nothing at El Tamal is fabricated; flavors are natural, ingredients are fresh, efforts are authentic.

Regarding the taste that maintains a front seat status, each bite deserved it’s own meal built around it.  It seemed no matter where on the plate I stuck my fork, the content brought to my mouth each time tasted divine.  Rich, powerful, intricate layers of flavor, with undeniable freshness.  What astonished me was that the flavor of each item was strong and confident, yet non-invasive, welcome to be shared, combining a bite of the fajita chicken and the flauta for instance was delightful, as every flavor somehow seemed to complete every other with perfection.

Hypnotists use a technique counting down from ten, wherein each number that is counted allows the participant to fall into a deeper state of relaxation.  That is the feeling given by the consummation of my meal; that I was in a trance and with each passing bite, I was sinking into a deeper and deeper state of comfort, a delicious bite of harmony.

How then, in this state of delight, peace and comfort, could I turn down desert?

I had at this time, consumed a great deal of food, so I was reluctant, but Pauline was persistent.  She brought out a piece of tres leches cake, a sort of angel cake, soaked in three types of milk.  Cool, soft, light, creamy; the perfect end to the greatest meal I have had in some time.

Prior to my visit to El Tamal, calling a meal inspiring seemed to me extreme.  Following my visit to El Tamal, I was inspired.  I could not wait to return, to dine again.

My comparatively un-traveled palate finds it a vast understatement to call it the greatest Mexican food I have ever consumed.  You will be amiss to not try it.  Show up hungry, and willing to try a variety of foods; they will work together, they will greet you favorably; you will enjoy it.  You may even be inspired.