Tambo 22 Peruvian-Italian Kitchen — Restaurant in Chelsea

The food was great, but service is what keeps guests coming back. Our server, was an order taker.. thats it. She did not seem too excited to be there, she only came over to take our order and if we called her over. We ordered a bottle of sparkling for the table, something as simple as giving a taste to the person who ordered it was not done. Instead it was poured to the one person at the table who is in recovery (of course I don't expect anyone to know that, but come on, basic wine service please). Then bottle was left at the middle of the table, no chiller, so we were drinking warm sparkling towards the end. The food hits the table, my mother saw a chili on top of the salmon so she asked the food runner if the dish was spicy. The food runner proceeded to literally put his finger in her plate and say "huh.. that?". Unfortunately, that was not our only unpleasant encounter with the runner. When he dropped the dessert at the table, he put down the spoons in the middle of the table, touching the part of the spoon that goes into our mouths, and one of the spoons came dirty from the kitchen. Our table was not pre-bussed at all, we had so many glasses and unnecessary items at the table. Our server finally came back and dropped the check, she did not ask if we wanted anything else... which we did. We continued to order drinks and coffee, and she continued to drop a new check each time.. we signed about three times. My mother ordered another glass of wine, instead of getting it, we got who I assume was the manager asking us to move to the bar or go because she had people waiting for the table. We had been there for exactly 2 hours and the best part, there had been an open table in the corner for about 30 - 40 minutes. So my biggest question is to the manager that kicked us out and gave us the bs condescending "I'm sorry you feel that way", where were you when everything else was going on? Where were your manager eyes, your hospitality skills? I understand it was mother's day, you needed tables, but your first thing should not be to tell your guests to leave, you set up the other table quickly and try to rearrange your dining room. It's called rolling with the punches. I know you're probably the person reading this and you might not care, you will probably make the excuse that I was rude to you. Which, I was. You managed to ruin our mother's day. My mother may not be important to you and thats cool however you are in HOSPITALITY your job is to ensure your guests feel welcomed, kicking them out ensures they do not go back.The service was transactional and not very hospitable. To the Chef, your FOH team is ruining your...

TL;DR:

Tambo 22 is a very nice establishment. While there aren't too many vegetarian options, it does have a few and their meat based options are quite good.

Food:

Yuca Frita - The taste was a bit underwhelming. It felt that salt was needed. But towards the end of this dish, all of the salt that was needed was discovered at the bottom of the basket. This suggests that the yuca cooled before the salt was added. To ensure the taste comes through, I suggest that the salt be added right after the yuca comes out of the frier, before the oil cools and solidifies. The will ensure that the salt penetrates the frita for maximum flavor. Maybe this is the norm but it was clearly missed with our dish.

Tacu Tacu - This mixture of beans, rice, onions, and pepper is perfect. I don't have much in the way of constructive criticism for you here.

Tamburguesa - The fries are very similar to Burger King fries. But don't be thrown by that comment. I actually like that. They were a bit greasy but still very good. The burger itself, while a tad small, is nothing short of phenomenal. This is a very good burger.

Dessert:

Chocolate Cake Con Manjar Blanco - This dessert is about the size of a small cupcake but it packs a flavor punch. It comes across as a mix between a brownie and a chocolate cake, placed on top of a caramel like sauce, surrounded by freshly sliced strawberries. It's very nice.

Drinks:

22 Old Fashioned - As someone who primarily drinks old fashioneds, I very much enjoyed this one. This old fashioned is what an old fashioned should be.

Pisco Sour (Chicha Morada) - Honestly, one of the best sours I have tasted. I usually find whiskey sours too acidic but this one (which is technically a brandy sour) was mixed to perfection.

Sangria - Pretty standard sangria. It's not bad at all but certainly not one that stands out. You won't go wrong ordering this.

Almost Heaven - As the name suggests, it's almost heaven but it feels like it's missing something. I would still order this as is but I'm not too much of a fan of the bitter aftertaste and acidity. It may need something to balance that out a bit. But it is certainly very close to being perfect.

Server Yudales:

Yudales was perfect. Some servers are overbearing. Others hardly show up. Yudales found the perfect happy medium and was very kind. We very much enjoyed her as our server. If not for the food, Yudales alone would also bring up the rating given. I wish her the best. Thanks for...

I was born and raised in Peru and last night I felt like a little piece of my country had been taken out of Peru and placed in Chelsea, MA at Tambo 22. The food is truly unbelievable, prepared with care and the utmost attention to detail. The flavors took me to a couple of areas in Peru very dear to my heart. The Ceviche del Dia with the amazing Leche de Tigre took me to the northern coast where ceviche is king. I couldn't get enough of the amazing combination of flavors and tenderness of the seafood. The Leche de Tigre had a supreme taste with just the right level of spiciness (picantita y rica). The Causa de Mariscos with yellow Peruvian potato transported my palate to Lima, our capital and one of the world's hottest culinary destinations. The combination of the mariscos (seafood) with the potato, caviaroli and rocoto is something you will not find anywhere else in the area no matter how hard you try. It's tasty, it's unique and it's a representation of how Peruvian food has evolved during this past decade. If you truly love good food, this is one dish you don't want to miss. Also amazing was the Pulpo al Olivo, an amazing octopus dish with botija olive sauce and capers. The tenderness of the octopus is a clear indication that chef Jose Duarte knows his way around a kitchen. It's another dish you won;t find anywhere else in the Boston area. I highly recommend starting your food journey at Tambo 22 with this dish.

And just as important as the food itself, the professionalism, friendliness, and openness of the chef and staff were major highlights. When you meet the chef, Jose Duarte, you will immediately feel his passion for food innovation and culinary culture. His experiences will move you and take you to unique places in Peru not often find in postcards or travel magazines at the dentist office - have you heard of Caraz or Huaripampa? If you sit at the bar, start a conversation with Brian and you'll be pleased to know how passionate he is about Tambo 22 and Peruvian cuisine. Our conversation last night completed my experience and it felt as if I'd known him for a long time.

Try Tambo 22! Its uniqueness will captivate you and make you come back for more. I know...