Boston.com, "Tambo 22 opens in Chelsea with alpaca burgers and ‘food of the future’"

BY: ERIN KUSCHNER

DATE: MARCH 3, 2020

Duarte, who opened the North End restaurant Taranta in 2000, is a longtime Chelsea resident, and originally bought the building at 22 Adams Street with the idea of renting it to someone else who would open a restaurant. But, he said, there were no takers, so he partnered with Taranta’s general manager, Taylor Corcoran, her husband, Brian Corcoran, and chef Christopher Titus to open Tambo.

While Taranta offers a fusion of Peruvian and Italian cuisine, Tambo is strictly focused on the former. The roughly 20-seat restaurant highlights Peruvian classics like a ceviche of the day, fried cassava root, and grilled beef skewers with a panca pepper and cumin marinade. Duarte gave aji de gallina, a popular Peruvian comfort dish made with chicken, potatoes, and rice, an update by serving it in bowl form. Yellow Peruvian potatoes are topped with shredded chicken, white rice, an egg, and olive roasted pecans from Somerville-based Q’s Nuts.

The lomo saltado, a grass-fed beef tenderloin served with french fries and white rice, is cooked “Diego-style,” Duarte explained, a reference to his 14-year-old son.