# Latino grocery products



## me dicen el siete mares (Mar 11, 2013)

Am I dreaming big or will I be able to find -real- Latino food products in Dubai grocery stores that go beyond stale, rancid taco shells and nasty, un-authentic salsa? Actually all I really need for complete and utter happiness is access to corn tortillas - not Tostitos tortilla chips, not pre-formed taco shells by Old El Paso - I'm talking those somewhat soft disc things you find in the refrigerated section of just about any American grocery store.

Of course I'd also be thrilled to find cornflour for arepas, corn husks and Quaker masa harina for tamales, dried chile pods for making just about anything Latin, dry black and pinto beans, .... the list goes on and on ... all of which are unavailable in my current country (Oman).

Thanks


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## dizzyizzy (Mar 30, 2008)

In short, no 

Corn tortillas are very difficult to find. Sometimes Choithrams has them but more often they don't. 

Some salsas available, typical tex mex stuff though.

Best to bring from Oman as much stuff as you can!


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## me dicen el siete mares (Mar 11, 2013)

oh, poo. That's really disappointing - especially since you and I both know that this stuff would sell like hotcakes if ever offered with any dependability!

Oh, and actually, I said Oman has virtually -nothing- when it comes to these products, so this will entail me bringing supplies all the way from the U.S.

Perhaps over time I will find a supplier through Spain, the only Euro country I know of where one can reliably find corn tortillas, that can courier out emergency supplies. These are hard times indeed for	Mexican food lovers in the Gulf! ...


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## dizzyizzy (Mar 30, 2008)

Whenever I come across corn tortillas (Mission brand) I buy 5 or 6 packs (which usually turns out to be their complete inventory) and just keep them in the freezer.

You can order from some stuff via a UK website but is very, very expensive


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## me dicen el siete mares (Mar 11, 2013)

oh really... do u happen to know the website? one never knows when one will have an emergency...


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## dizzyizzy (Mar 30, 2008)

Mexican food, Grocery & Ingredients on sale at MexGrocer.co.uk


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## me dicen el siete mares (Mar 11, 2013)

awwwww thanks a million!


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## chiapet (Jan 28, 2013)

So I suppose tamales are out of the question  oh and chorizo for papas con chorizo on christmas morning :Cry: Guess I will try to get my fill before we come, and be content making flour tortillas instead. The bright side is that leaving the cast iron corn tortilla press behind will surely save me weight in my checked bags, hmm now what to fill the space with? A years supply of taco seasoning?


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## me dicen el siete mares (Mar 11, 2013)

hehe flour tortillas are readily available in the Gulf (and Arabic flatbreads also work in a pinch. it's corn tortillas that are, inexplicably, MIA. I would imagine that, if kept in an airtight container, masa harina would last at least a year...


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## chiapet (Jan 28, 2013)

Oh, that's a good idea, masa does last a while. I'm really not too broken up about not having the cardboard grocery store corn tortillas that would likely be the selection in Dubai. What I can get now in the midwest are such a far cry from the fresh, mouthwatering tortillaria kind we had in California :hungry: that I don't usually buy them at the store anyway because there's just no way to bring those things back to life. 
Glad to know there are others on the lookout for latin food, keep me posted if you find a stash somewhere!


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## me dicen el siete mares (Mar 11, 2013)

ain't it the truth - living in California really spoils you for options and sheer quality. when do u arrive in UAE? I have to finish a contract in Oman first, go back stateside for vacation, then be here for the new job in September.

I just thought of something: with my new job I get a pretty good shipping allowance, so maybe I'll include a tortilla press and a few bags of masa in that shipment. only trouble is, I haven't a clue how to make homemade corn tortillas. I tried it once and recall it being a disaster. any hints on pressing a perfect one?


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## TallyHo (Aug 21, 2011)

There's a Mexican restaurant in Dubai called Maria Bonita (on Umm al Sheif in Umm Sequim just off Sheikh Zayed). It's probably the best Mexican in Dubai (but that's not saying much). More relevant is that they do sell some imported Mexican products.


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## dizzyizzy (Mar 30, 2008)

TallyHo said:


> There's a Mexican restaurant in Dubai called Maria Bonita (on Umm al Sheif in Umm Sequim just off Sheikh Zayed). It's probably the best Mexican in Dubai (but that's not saying much). More relevant is that they do sell some imported Mexican products.


I second that, the food is quite good, and some of the dishes are surprisingly authentic! (like the mole and the sopa the tortilla). I've also bought from them Salsa Valentina and Cajeta Coronado, although last time I was there a few weeks ago I did not see any products on display - hope they are still selling stuff.


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## me dicen el siete mares (Mar 11, 2013)

very cool, thanks for the tips... sopa de tortilla .... mmmm qué rico


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## chiapet (Jan 28, 2013)

Well, I haven't made them in a while (because I like the homemade flour tortillas just as much and I don't always have masa like I do flour) but I remember the first few times being tricky, and that if you don't put plastic wrap or parchment paper or something over your tortilla press its a huge sticky mess trying to peel the tortillas off. We are moving in August, so if we are at all near each other, I bet we could get it down to a science with enough practice! Tamales especially are much better as a group effort! 

I'm SO glad there's a mexican restaurant! Now if someone would just open up a hole in the wall sort of taco shop, it's be just heavenly. :thumb:


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## me dicen el siete mares (Mar 11, 2013)

oh my, a *real* taco shop in Dubai? You sure don't ask for much!  I guess no harm in hoping for the moon. I will say from experience, though, that if other ethnic cuisines are also your bag, you should be pretty happy there. I know an amazing Korean place, for example...


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## de Mexicaan (Apr 16, 2012)

Maria Bonita is indeed a good option, my wife (mexican) bought ingredients there. It is somewhat expensive though.

There is a also the possibility to order ingredients at señor Pepe, they are Sharjah based but they do deliveries in Dubai from I think 120 AED value onwards. They do not have a website but if you google them you should find their number.


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## sammylou (Oct 29, 2012)

fyi, i just saw a pile of corn tortillas at the Choithram's in marina [south end, dec building].


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## Gavtek (Aug 23, 2009)

Cafe Habana in Souk Al Bahar does the best tacos I've ever tasted, absolutely bumrapes Maria Bonita.


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## me dicen el siete mares (Mar 11, 2013)

this all sounds very promising! thanks for all the tips guys


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