Sunday Funday Moment: El Paso’s Ambar Restaurant is home to the world’s most expensive Tamal
EL PASO, Texas-- With Cinco De Mayo coming up, El Paso's Plaza Hotel is serving up some new menu items including a tamal that is not like any other tamal you’ve tried before.
Ambar Restaurante inside of The Plaza Hotel will be adding the 'Golden Tamal' to their Spring menu and it's a dish that Executive Chef Lawrence Acosta is proud to introduce.
“Growing up, my mom would thrown on huge parties even so food’s always been a really big part of my life," said Chef Lawrence. His passion for cooking began when he was just a teen.
“When I was 16-years-old I said I would dedicate my life to it and I went to culinary technical at Riverside High School," said Chef Lawrence.
After high school, Chef Lawrence would move to New York to get his associates and bachelors degrees from the Culinary Institute of America and shortly after move back to El Paso to share his culinary ideas with the borderland including the creation of the world’s most expensive Tamal.
“Tamales in general are just a big part of hispanics and our gatherings here in El Paso,” said Chef Lawrence.
The Golden Tamal will soon be a featured item in Ambar’s new Spring menu and if you plan on trying this Tamal be prepared to pay $150. The reason behind the high price? The unique ingredients inside this Golden Tamal.
“So we have six different types of caviars that we’re getting from California," explained Chef Lawrence. “We have a couple infused ones, we have a couple wasabi. You have grilled lobster claws that will be built into the actual top of the salad. Of course the gold flake which is the eye catcher. We have some heirloom greens that I'm actually getting from a local company here."
According to Chef Lawrence, the actual tamal itself is two different types of masa with two different types of corn. The Golden Tamal also has beef barbaocao but it is also beef wagyu which is a highly marbled type of steak and a main reason for the $150 price tag.
Chef Lawrence understands that this Golden Tamal may not be for everyone, but he does hope that those who do have a chance to enjoy this Golden Tamal will remember the experience even after they leave the restaurant.
“I would tell them that it's about having a conversation and an experience because this is something that I would recommend for people to come and gather and let’s try this together and let’s enjoy this together," said Chef Lawrence.
The world's most expensive tamal won't be on the menu until Cinco De Mayo and Chef Lawrence plans on changing up the ingredients for the Tamal throughout the years.
