Gorditas Tangamanga

Gorditas Tangamanga
4714 Indianapolis Boulevard
East Chicago, IN 46312 MAP
(219) 397-6780
Hours:
Tuesday – Sunday: 8:00 a.m. to ?
Monday: Closed

September 30th, 12:30 p.m.

Tangamanga is a massive park located in San Luis Potosí, Mexico. The restaurant's logo features the roof and spire of the Caja del Agua from within the park. I have no idea if gorditas are the regional specialty in that part of Mexico or if the owners just found the name catchy.

The last time I ate at a Mexican restaurant with the word “gorditas” in the name, I was dissapointed and wished I ordered a gordita in addition to my steak burrito. Not this time. A steak burrito and a chorizo gordita were ordered to go. Two ladies were in the kitchen rolling balls of masa and making gordita shells with a tortilla press as my steak and chorizo sizzled on the flat top. Those who were dining in were enjoying salsa and chips that were, oddly enough, round yellow corn and appeared to be of the deli-style variety. Hmm.



My steak burrito was pretty good considering the “steak” was of the shredded beef/pot roast variety. Only one piece of fat appeared in the burrito along with beans, lettuce, tomato, cheese, and sour cream. The gordita was much better than the burrito. The fresh made tortilla was warm and tasty and complimented the spicy chorizo, cilantro, and onion perfectly.

Gorditas are the way to go if you visit Gorditas Tangamanga. With prices ranging from $1.50 to $1.75 depending on which meat you choose, my recommendation is to order at least 3 and enjoy the variety. Although their steak burrito is not bad, I would advise anyone looking for a burrito in the area to head north a few blocks to either Plaza Garibaldi or Tacolandia (now El Buen Comer).



Weight: 16.9 ounces
Length: 8.5 inches
Circumference: 8.75 inches
Price: $4.99 or 29.5¢ an ounce
Beer availability: No

Flavor: 7/10 sombreros
Value: 8/10 sombreros

Valentin Restaurant

Valentin Restaurant
3809 Main Street
East Chicago, IN 46312 MAP
(219) 397-6591
Hours:
Monday – Sunday: 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

September 25th, 1:30 p.m.

El Ranchero closed its long standing original location earlier this year (now focusing on its New Chicago location), and Valentin Restaurant quickly filled its void. With a fairly empty belly from missing breakfast and not getting to lunch until 1:30, I ordered the burrito dinner for $8.50 ($1.00 more than the burrito alone).



My 1 ¼ lb. steak burrito was filled with beans and cheese. I opted for the deluxe burrito for $1.00 more which added lettuce, tomato, avocado and sour cream. The steak was flavorful and the burrito was very good overall although too much fat and gristle held it back. The pico de gallo and salsa verde were excellent and made me wish I dined in so that I could have enjoyed both salsas with complimentary chips.

Valentin Restaurant is your best bet for a steak burrito if you're in the Harbor. Trimming the steak better and lowering the price (or increasing the burrito's size) would bump Valentin Restaurant into the very good/excellent range. Right now, it's merely good.



Weight: 20.0 ounces
Length: 8 inches
Circumference: 9.75 inches
Price: $7.50 or 37.5¢ an ounce
Beer availability: No

Flavor: 7.5/10 sombreros
Value: 6.5/10 sombreros