D's Tamales

Hueytown, AL
$4-$6 Entrees

I first had authentic tamales at a rancho outside of Saltillo, Mexico in the Sierra Madre mountains while on a mission trip with 75 college students. The people living in the small ranchos we visited had almost nothing. We distributed food staples, over-the-counter medications, and toys. We would stay for mass and then head back to the mission in the city, sometimes not arriving until after midnight, missing dinner entirely. One night, a tiny widow recruited a few neighbors, and they used her entire yearly supply of food to make tamales for all of us. The students ate like wolves, most not realizing this was all she had. She then thanked us for the honor of coming to her house for dinner.

D's Tamales serves its niche market authentic, knock-your-socks-off tamales. For those of you who have never had a tamale, whether north or south of the border, they are made with cornmeal and meat, rolled into a corn husk, tied on either end with string, and boiled. While this may not sound appetizing on its face, believe me, at D's Tamales in Hueytown, AL, they are. D's tamales are so delicious that two men eating at the counter near me had driven all the way from Gardendale just to eat there. You can order a combo, which comes with crispy fries and a drink. Filling and inexpensive, tamales may be ordered by the dozen, half dozen, or quarter dozen. Prepared with a touch of exciting sauce, they may be spicy or mild and are stuffed with meat.

This basic, window-lined restaurant has an unfinished floor and air of nostalgia. You'll feel like a little kid again when you walk in and swing your legs on a wooden stool at the square counter, which wraps around the interior. The customers are friendly and regularly strike up conversations with each other, much as you'd see at a hibachi grill. The owner will take your order with a smile, and you'll leave smiling too.

2.5 Kudzu