An astute City Pages reader tipped us off to signs of life at La Loma’s Town Square location, which shuttered last November after a five-year run. A call to La Loma confirmed that they’re reopening today, Tuesday the 12th, although they declined to comment as to why the St. Paul location initially closed and why it’s reopening now.

What’s on the menu at the reborn La Loma St. Paul? Obviously, there will be hand-wrapped tamales: oaxaca (spicy chicken in a banana leaf), chicken, pork, vegetarian, and sweet corn, available individually or as a lunch platter of two with sides of beans and rice. Additional menu items cater to the lunch crowd, with burritos, tacos, enchiladas, chilaquiles, taco salads, and nachos, plus chips, salsa, and guacamole. Meat choices include beef, chicken, barbacoa de res (slow-cooked shredded beef), tinga de pollo (chicken with chipotle sauce), pollo en mole (chicken with mole sauce), carnitas (roasted pork), and pastor (marinated pork). As for hours, they’re open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Make a note of the weekly special: 50 percent off all tamales on Tuesdays. (Hey, that’s today!)

La Loma Tamales was originally founded by Noelia and Enrique Garcia as La Loma Coffee Shop at Minneapolis’ Mercado Central marketplace back in 1999. The small shop soon evolved into Cafeteria La Loma, one of Mercado Central’s most popular eateries.

But that was only the beginning of the La Loma empire: Next up was an expansion into additional locations at the Midtown Global Market and downtown Minneapolis’ North Star Center, plus a thriving catering and wholesale tamale business (La Loma tamales are available in the freezer case at Cub Foods, Kowalski’s, Lunds, and SuperValu stores throughout the metro). In recognition of La Loma’s hard-earned success, Noelia Garcia was awarded the 2009 Entrepreneur of the Year Award by the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship. Locally, they're also a former CP best-of winner!

(In other big-return news, Minneapolis’ vegetarian and vegan favorite Reverie Cafe and Bar—which closed this past summer—announced this week that they’re coming back as a food truck.)