On the Menu: Champy's

Where: Champy’s Famous Fried Chicken, 526 E. M.L. King Blvd.

What: Champy’s may be famous for its chicken, but gaining ground are the tamales with seasoned ground beef wrapped in Mexican masa and hand-rolled in corn husks. Owner Seth Champion sells about 200 per week. He once made them in-house, having learned from the masters in the Mississippi Delta where he grew up. Now, Mr. Champion can’t handle the number of tamales that need to be made, so he has outsourced their production to an old man in Mississippi who uses Mr. Champion’s recipe. “They’re a holiday tradition in the Delta,” he said. “ And they make a great holiday catering idea.

Price: $8.99 per half dozen.

Phone: 752-3847.

Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday-Wednesday, 11 a.m. till midnight Thursday-Saturday.

— Compiled by Anne Braly