Mami’s Tamales: Singapore’s first tamale specialist by owner of Papi’s Tacos

As I stepped into Mami’s Tamales along Keong Saik Road, I was instantly reminded of my travels to Mexico many years back.

It had exactly the same vibe as the casual restaurants there — a lively atmosphere, friendly hosts and vibrant decor. Think: Walls drenched in bold pink, funky Mexican artwork and sombrero hats hanging from the walls. 

The restaurant, which officially opened on Jul 18, is Singapore’s first tamale specialist. This traditional Mexican dish is made from masa (a dough created from nixtamalised corn), wrapped in corn husks, or banana leaves, and filled with a variety of ingredients such as meats, cheese, fruits, vegetables, or chilies. 

A tale of two chefs

Mami’s Tamales is the brainchild of chefs Mauricio Espinoza (affectionately known as chef Papi) and Maribel Colmenares.

Born in Papalotla in Mexico, Papi is also behind the popular Papi’s Tacos, a casual taqueria with outlets at Seah Street, Tanjong Pagar and Katong. 

As for Maribel, who is also Mexican-born, she has called Singapore home for more than 10 years. She started out as a home-cook making homemade tamales, before expanding her passion into successful ventures such as Tamales Mexicanos en Singapur — a pop-up restaurant (now closed) inside the Purple Agave cocktail bar in Keong Saik. 

The name Mami’s Tamales is also inspired by Maribel and her signature tamales, just like how Papi’s Tacos is named after Papi. 

We had the chance to get a sneak peek at chef Papi’s latest concept before it opened.

For Papi, Mami’s Tamales is a bold experiment in introducing lesser-known Mexican foods to a Singapore audience. He says many restaurants here serve standard Mexican fare such as burritos and tacos, so he’s looking to shake things up. 

When we visited, we were regaled with tales of Papi’s misadventures, including one of how he was kidnapped in Tijuana at the age of 14 whilst trying to cross the Mexico-US border. (After his release, he had miraculously made his way to New York City, starting out as a dishwasher and working his way up in New York City’s culinary scene.)

If Mami’s food is as vibrant and entertaining as Papi’s stories, we’re in for a treat, to be sure.

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Tamales and other Mexican delights

The restaurant’s name gives it away, so you won’t be surprised to see tamales as the main attraction here. 

On the menu are nine different variations — five in the Mexican way and four Asian-style. Mexican-style tamales include cheese & pepper (S$13), pork salsa verde (S$18), chicken tinga (lean chicken breast simmered in tomato-chipotle sauce, S$16), guanjillo & jackfruit (jackfruit cooked in a smoky guajillo chile sauce, S$15) and mushroom pastor (mushroom simmered in adobo sauce, S$15). 

We had a chance to try the pork salsa verde, which features succulent pork simmered in green sauce made from tomatillos, jalapenos, garlic, and fresh cilantro.

As for Asian-style tamales, there’s the ayam sambal hijau (chicken cooked in spicy sambal sauce, S$14), moo ping pork (S$15), curry tempeh (S$16) and salmon tom yam (S$20). 

We sampled the curry tempeh with fragrant spices and fresh herbs —  a vegan option with tempeh simmered in curry sauce. This one came wrapped in banana leaves, resulting in a thicker skin, as compared to the pork salsa verision, which is wrapped in corn husks. 

Whilst we enjoyed the savoury tamales, the highlight for us was the sweet tamal ($13), a dessert tamale served with whipping cream and tequila caramel. This reminded us of a delicious dessert crepe with the caramel sauce pairing perfectly with the sweet masa corn dough. 

Another favourite was the chapulas poblanos (S$16 for three pieces) — a popular street snack. These are tortillas with thicker shells — which we found retained a satisfying crunch — topped with red and green salsa, garnished with onion and topped with juicy chicken tinga.

We lapped up the starters and drinks too. It was hard not to keep snacking on the guacamole & chips (S$26), a highly addictive table snack of fried corn tortillas and vibrant housemade dip.

Mami’s also gave us our first taste of drinks served with Paleta — a Mexican frozen popsicle made with natural fruit flavours. I especially enjoyed the hibiscus, guava and mint (S$23) flavour, which was paired with refreshing agua de jamaica (hibiscus tea). 

This was a hosted tasting.

In the mood for more exotic treats? Check out the Middle Eastern food at Artichoke or get a taste of the American south at Rib Soul Food.

Do explore the GrabFood Dine Out service for awesome deals.

You can also book a ride to savour the Mexican delights at Mami’s Tamales.