Peruvian cuisine, when done right, is an adventure for the palate. Tambo does it right in spades. Besides flavor, I look carefully at three elements in any dining experience: atmosphere, attention, arrangement. Check, check, check. This was the best Peruvian meal I've had so far.
I began with a sweet and lively Tambojito, the house's version of a maracuya (passion fruit) mojito. My coworkers and friends Mabet and Indira tried their robust pisco sangria and the tangy virgin lemonade, respectively. The pisco sangria is made with distilled brandy produced in the regions of Peru and Chile. All three choices made for a sparkling launch to a much anticipated end of a long and busy work week.
A jaw-dropping sampler platter arrived to take center stage on the table and stoke our appetites. It contained a melange of zesty octopus and fish ceviche, grilled octopus with diced potatoes, an oversized ball of mashed potatoes, lightly breaded and fried, and adorned by more fish ceviche, and grilled shrimp skewers. A party-starter, without a doubt.
Choosing entrees was an adventure in itself. We had to be schooled on the menu language, but once we had the basics, we ordered a good representation of their offerings. Indira ordered the churrasco with fries, a generous and savory serving of skirt steak. After a lot of pondering, I ordered the Seco de Res with Tacu Tacu, which translates to shredded chunks of beef slow cooked in cilantro sauce, and the traditional Peruvian rice and beans. As expected, the braised beef was tender and its flavor infused with unmistakable cilantro, which I happen to love. But the MVP this evening had to be Mabet's Lomo Saltado with risotto, beef strips sauteed in onions, tomatoes, and cilantro served over a bed of a vibrant risotto.
You'd think we would've lost curiosity for dessert after all the Peruvian flavor excess, but you'd be wrong. We couldn't wait to see what sugary delights awaited. We shared a Suspiro Limeño, a cup of a thick layer of dulce de leche topped by another thick layer of meringue. We also tried the Chocolucuma mousse, a perfect dome of passion fruit cream resting on a thin bed of chocolate graham cracker crust. The passion fruit flavor was powerful, and the texture was reminiscent of panna cotta. It was well executed, but we all gravitated toward the sweet Suspiro.
Tambo's staff is primarily Peruvian, and they are proud to teach you how their heritage is infused into their food. It's not just a meal, it's a cultural experience. If you close your eyes as you enjoy the flavors and textures of the dishes, you can imagine yourself on the sacred mountaintop of Macchu Picchu, the crown jewel of the Inca empire. Your palate can be your passport.
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