Best Find: Tamales three ways

Photo by Jennifer Biggs, Jennifer Biggs/The Commercial Appeal // Buy this photo

Tamales Three Ways is a speciality at Dino's: It's tamales topped with spaghetti and chili. Add onions to make it Tamales Four Ways.

Take your heartburn pills with you when you head over to Dino's, because it's time for you to dig into an order of Tamales Three Ways.

Dino's has been around forever and still has a loyal following. I haven't been part of that lately, just because I don't live in Midtown anymore and seldom think about it. Too bad for me.

Photo by Jennifer Biggs, Jennifer Biggs/The Commercial Appeal

Tamales Three Ways is a speciality at Dino's: It's tamales topped with spaghetti and chili. Add onions to make it Tamales Four Ways.

But this week I wanted something different for lunch and saw that Dino's offers homemade chicken and dumplings on Tuesday. I got busy and didn't get away, but went for dinner on Tuesday night, hoping for that comfort dish. When I found out it was only available on the plate lunch, I went in a completely different direction.

I'm always searching for good tamales, and the server told me the ones at Dino's are made by a neighborhood resident. I thought "three ways" would bring tamales with chili and cheese; when she told me it was chili and spaghetti, well, I was too intrigued to turn back.

Wow. This is one carb-loaded meal, but it is so good. Spicy, meaty, rich and tomato-y chili tops a huge mound of spaghetti, which covers the tamales. I asked for chopped onion and took my three-way to a four-way dish. When I was finished, I'd eaten about a third of it (with a little help) and felt like I'd done some real damage.

Try it. And don't forget the antacid.

-- Jennifer Biggs: 529-5223

Dino's Grill is at 645 N. McLean; 278-9127. Tamales Three Ways are $7.95; hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 7 a.m.-9 p.m. and Sunday, 7 a.m.-8 p.m.

© 2009 Go Memphis. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.