Hot Tamale

They way my fiance and I are eating out, it feels like we'll have all the restaurants in Northern NY reviewed in a few weeks.  While I know it will take longer the farther we stray from home, I am sure we'll constantly have comments about food for the foreseeable future.

This afternoon we took the dog (he's a new addition to the house, but not to our lives), Kringle, for a walk around the golf course.  We didn't make the entire loop as the sunshine was deceptively no as warm as I had hoped.  A combination of the sunshine, fresh air, and it being well past my normal lunch time required a quick bite to eat before heading back to the house for regrouping (stay tuned for posts about this evenings activities).  We stopped at Hot Tamale - a relatively new fresh Mexican fast food restaurant in town (recent expansion now boasts a second location in Potsdam).

Hot Tamale has a simple menu of the staples - burritos, tacos, quesadillas, etc.  They do have some "specials" which are their own invention and some are names for the local universities.  My normal "staple" there is their Bear Naked burrito bowl - a combination of rice, meat, veggies, cheese, lettuce and black olive.  If I am feeling particularly indulgent, I'll splurge and add in guacamole (although not if I am going to be waiting to eat).  I love the control over the ratio of components.  The rice is a plain white rice with a bit of herb in it (I can't quite place it, but have a feeling it is cilantro.  I think a spanish rice might improve the dish a bit flavor-wise.

 Another favorite is the pork tacos.  This is a surprise fantastic find.  The pork is pulled pork with a flavorful tangy sauce.  You would think it doesn't quite fit with the taco concept, but if you are willing to try it, it is worth the experiment.  We like them with a bit of pico de gallo, taco sauce, lettuce and cheese.  From a comment one of the employees made, I have a feeling the pork is made either on site or specifically for them.  The tamales are frozen, but when freshly reheated and decent.  I believe there is a beef filling.

I did also try a mini quesedilla the last time I was there.  I was hoping for a small snack, and this delivered.  While many quesedillas can turn out greasy from the cheese soaking into the tortilla, this was nice and light with a slight crunch to the browned tortilla.  I got it with chicken which was still moist and succulent.  The pico de gallo sauce is a perfect compliment with the fresh kick and subtle spice.

Hot Tamale is a great quick meal in Canton!  Fresh and flavorful, while not what you're going to find down on the border, it is perfect for where it is.