Ow, hot tamales

Today, Aaron and I did our own little Christmas since we won't be here to open presents on Christmas day.  We'll be in Hawaii!  Woo!  In honor of Christmas, we went and got tamales since we won't be with Aaron's family this year.  Aaron's grandma makes really yummy tamales.  We found 2 tamale shops in Pacific Beach to try and compare.

First, we went to Grand Ave. Tamales.  It's a tiny little shop with 2 tables inside.  Behind the scenes in the kitchen, we saw a microwave and a steamer.  There was also a little area behind that we couldn't see.  We picked up a chicken, beef, pork, and chile cheese tamale to go.  I suggested we eat it on the beach.

Next, we went to Tamales Ancira on Garnet Ave.  They had a few more tables, and served their tamales with rice and beans.  We got  a chicharron (fried pork skin), chicken, and picadillo (ground beef and vegetable) tamale.  Everything was a little spicy and tasted pretty good.  Aaron didn't like the fact that all the tamales had the same sauce on them.  They didn't really need a sauce.  The meat was flavorful on its own.  I liked the picadillo best.  I didn't really like the chicharron. 

our tamales

L-R: chicharron, picadillo, chicken

At the beach eating the tamales we picked up first

First, beef

super flavorful; I thought it tasted like mole

Next, chile and cheese

It was like a chile relleno in a tamale

There was cream cheese and monterey jack and possibly egg

The chicken tamale was wrapped up so pretty!

The chicken was very flavorful and delicious;

a little spicy, but not overpowering

Joined by a few birds