La Mexicana - Tremendous Tamales

I was out East this weekend, so I figured I would check out this Mexican Grocery I had heard about in Painsville (credit to www.eatingcleveland.com). Located at 170 E. Washington Street, Painesville, Ohio (map is here), just a couple of blocks from the Painesville town square, this is an easy place to overlook, but worth finding. The store itself is cramped and well stocked with Mexican foods, so if you need some specialty items, this is a place to check out. Right near the door, are some large pots with lids, inside are tamales; you will have to ask what is in each pot since there are no signs. On the Sunday I was there they had Pork with Red Sauce, Pineapple, and Cheese and Green Sauce. I went for a couple of the cheese tamales and picked up a couple of baked goods in the nearby display case. The prices were excellent, with tamales at $1.50 each and the baked goods at $.60 each. If you are not familar with tamales, they are made of masa (corn flour) made into a batter and then filled with ingredients, rolled in a corn husk and then either steamed or boiled. The results can be spectacular and this was certainly the case with the tamales I tried here. Although at room temperature, the tamales were excellent, the masa dough perfectly cooked to have a soft texture and wonderfully subtle corn flavor with just a hint of natural sweetness. The cheese was good, but what made the tamales was the green sauce; it was hot and spicey, but still well balanced and flavorful. The sauce perfectly set off the milder flavors of the masa and cheese to make a lip smacking package of goodness. The baked goods were nice, although the portions were very large for the price; I had a soft bun topped with a cinnamon topping that reminded me of the Asian desert buns I have had. I also tried a nice white cake with a nice frosting. The baked goods were well balanced and a little less sweet then most of what we get around here which was a very nice change. In addition to the market there was a very small restaurant up front, which looked to be serving very authentic and cheap Mexican food. La Mexicana is well worth checking out, especially if you are in the Painsville area. If you have not tried tamales or are a real fan, then you should really check them out; although I think the tamales are only available on weekends. Yet another culinary adventure without going too far.