Mama's International Tamales

"Come to Mama’s International Tamales for traditional flavors prepared with plant-based ingredients. Owner Claudia Lopez and her mother developed the restaurant’s vegan cheeses and proteins that show up in tamales filled with cheesy jalapeno and jackfruit verde. There’s even a vegan pan con “pollo” made with jackfruit stewed in a recaudo sauce that permeates with spices, herbs, and chiles. Check out the pupusas and tamales filled with chicken and chicken verde for those in a meaty mood." - Eric Valle

"Mama’s Tamales makes our favorite vegan pupusas in the city. This restaurant right across the street from MacArthur Park has the usual vegetable filling options like nutty loroco and spicy jalapeno. But the real star, and the one you should order no matter what, is a fluffy corn cake full of jackfruit revuelta. Every bite blends sweetness from the yellow fruit (which is shredded like pulled pork and marinated in salsa verde) and tang from crunchy curtido. We also love how the melted vegan mozzarella holds everything together with a mild taste and gooey texture that’s still in the ballpark of the stuff we get from cows.  " - Sylvio Martins, Brant Cox, Nikko Duren

"In addition to making some very good tamales, Mama’s Tamales serves our favorite vegan in the city. This restaurant right across the street from MacArthur Park has the usual vegetable filling options like nutty loroco and spicy jalapeno. But the real star, and the one you should order no matter what, is a fluffy corn cake full of jackfruit revuelta. Every bite blends sweetness from the yellow fruit (which is shredded like pulled pork and marinated in salsa verde) and tang from crunchy curtido. We also love how the melted vegan mozzarella holds everything together with a mild taste and gooey texture that’s still in the ballpark of the stuff we get from cows.  " - Nikko Duren

"Mama’s Tamales serves tamales at the Vegan Lot in North Hollywood." - Farley Elliott

Episode: You Picked 'Em