Cheap Eat$
Memories and certain foods belong together. Think of the ice cream cones you used to always indulge in with a certain friend; the syrup-drenched pancakes Mom made for you; the fried chicken that caused the smoke alarm to wail in anguish as the meal sizzled to perfection.
Thinking of tamales causes scenes of salsa or merengue music, Spanish words and exclamations floating through the air and lots of hugs and kisses to flash through my mind. Christmas trees inevitably pop into my mental picture, as, like that holiday, tamales come all too rarely. And understandably so; tamale-making is a day-long affair that wears out the hardiest of kitchen aficionados.
All things considered, I had pretty much resigned myself to the fact I would only get tamales around major holidays. Which, of course, makes them taste that much better. But we all know what strange animals food cravings can be, especially for those of the female persuasion.
And, I must admit, I do crave tamales during the off-season, like in March, for instance. And forget the dry, flaky afterthoughts-of-tamales in frozen dinners and at eateries like the ubiquitous Casa Olé.
But the tamales at Berryhill Baja Grill are for the tamale-lovers in all of us. Any three tamales, black beans and rice are yours for a mere $3.99, pricing that's well within the Cheap Eat$ range.
The tamales are just as good as abuelita (grandma) made them, wrapped in corn husks and sitting atop a large metal-lined platter. With their earthy, moist corn flour and flavorful fillings, these mid-sized tamales will put a serious dent in your hunger.
The black beans and rice that accompany the plate could have been hotter (temperature-wise), but at least the hearty black beans can be ordered in vegetarian or regular. The rice was fluffy and flecked with peas, corn and carrot bits.
Lest you get bored with the standard beef, chicken or bean tamales, Berryhill's throws a few slightly unconventional varieties into the mix. Check out the excellent (and vegetarian) spinach and corn tortilla, a surprisingly good way to meet your vegetable quotient.
The bean tamale (also vegetarian) tastes pleasant, not plain. The jalapeno in it, though lacking any real fire, adds a bit of zip. The chicken tamale dutifully upholds the standard, and the pork and beef tamales likely do, too.
The chicken quesadillas won high marks for flavor but low marks for price ($6.29). The grill offers more dishes, including fish and shrimp tacos, crab cakes, several splashy salads and steamy soups and a kids' menu.
The service proved so-so. Patrons order at the a counter, are given cutesy wooden blocks with numbers on them and then orders are brought to tables. Sometimes staffers wander around with confused looks on their faces, searching for the block that matches the number on the ticket. At least drink refills are generally prompt.
The rich wood paneling at the smartly decorated, brightly-lit Galleria-area location adds a nice touch. Check out the ethereal ceilings and southwestern accesorizing.
Each of the other locations has its own respective flair, prompting one of my dining cohorts to call the River Oaks location "more bumpin'."
For a touch of homey charm to offset the trendy decor, read the menu to find out how this now-slick local fave was once a strictly pushcart operation.
Trendiness aside, tamales are just as enjoyable in abuelita's kitchen as in a polished uptown grill, albeit for different aesthetic reasons. After all, nothing says home like faded vinyl tiling and a rickety Formica-topped table.
Hey kids! Keep those Cheap Eat$ suggestions and comments flying into my e-mail inbox at btavakol@bayou.uh.edu.
Berryhill Baja Grill
1717 Post Oak Blvd.
(713) 871-TACO