This might seem like a repeat but it isn’t. I’d noticed some time ago that the restaurant near the County Hospital had been converted into a Tamales Liliana’s, that popular Eastside eatery I reviewed before, making this the third location. I like some of their food at the East Los spot, how convenient to have one so nearby! I don’t care for the HR’s at the original but I thought I’d give these a try, just in case. Unfortunately, they turned out to be similar with that really tart green sauce and overcooked eggs, not for me. The real downer though were the beans: why do places have to ruin beans by adding meat to them? I feel like starting up a restaurant just so I can sell a meat dish and then surprise the customer by mashing some pinto beans into that little slice of carne, see how you like that!
Tamales Liliana’s 2042 E. Marengo St. 323.224.9466
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Meat in beans? What will they think of next?
Reading about this is making me hungry.
If I started doing reviews about Mexican food in London it would be this really sad, expensive endeavor.
Well it`s a sad day when you dont get what you crave,for what ever reason people think that beans are a requirement in every plate,and they dont have respect for them ,they see beans as a cheap side ,that fills the space on a plate.
Now, they are many ways to honor our frijolitos,but many more to ruin our staple by ignoring some simple rules about frijoles,lees is more,leave the frijoles alone !!!
Boil them with care,leave them alone in their cooking,if to be fried ,do it in lard while the lard is hot and some chiles when true it,and let them “pop’ ALONE!! do not rush the procedure,you will be rewarded with some good beans and will only add to your final dish.
We can talk about many forms to re fry beans,some are very old and traditional recipes that Abuelita made for us while we were chilpallates,some by Mama,some by Tia Lupe,etc,but the bottom line is that less is more.
My Gran friend Luis De Alba told me not very long ago while visiting with us and having dinner(frijoles refritos con salsa y tortillas recien hechas y un chingadaso de tequila.lol.) that, what he has learned in his travels is this, no matter how much money one has or what food one can afford,the food that fills the heart is the one we treasure most,usually comfort food,HR and buenos frijoles as a good example of this.!