“Esmeralda is an experimental restaurant near Chester, VT that hosts a series of weekend dinners & events featuring Peruvian dishes. Friday nights are dinner and Saturdays are an all-day feast that centers around the pachamanca, the ancient method of cooking in the ground on hot stones. The owners are Maria Rondeau & JuanMa Calderón of Celeste in Somerville, MA and the new, very popular La Royal in Cambridge, MA. They hosted it on the porch of their Vermont home.We recently attended the Friday night dinner, which featured a wonderful selection of Peruvian and local dishes, family style, at a long table with about 30 other couples. Menu included potatoes a la huancaina, blue cod sashimi, cilantro rice with seared duck, squash, black mint, potato and fava bean stew, and rum raisin ice cream with fresh fruit. They finished it off with a small shot of pisco, which was a great touch. The setting was very nice and they paired the food with natural wines. If you're looking for a fun night out, or a weekend away combined with this experience, I think you'll find that the food and overall experience was wonderful. Many people had traveled from Boston, NJ, NY, etc. and/or had second homes in the area. Maria, JuanMa and the staff were also really great. I'm not sure I would drive hours for it, though, or pay $125/person again to go back a second time. But I'm happy for the experience.“
Recommended
“Esmeralda is an experimental restaurant near Chester, VT that hosts a series of weekend dinners & events featuring Peruvian dishes. Friday nights are dinner and Saturdays are an all-day feast that centers around the pachamanca, the ancient method of cooking in the ground on hot stones. The owners are Maria Rondeau & JuanMa Calderón of Celeste in Somerville, MA and the new, very popular La Royal in Cambridge, MA. They hosted it on the porch of their Vermont home.We recently attended the Friday night dinner, which featured a wonderful selection of Peruvian and local dishes, family style, at a long table with about 30 other couples. Menu included potatoes a la huancaina, blue cod sashimi, cilantro rice with seared duck, squash, black mint, potato and fava bean stew, and rum raisin ice cream with fresh fruit. They finished it off with a small shot of pisco, which was a great touch. The setting was very nice and they paired the food with natural wines. If you're looking for a fun night out, or a weekend away combined with this experience, I think you'll find that the food and overall experience was wonderful. Many people had traveled from Boston, NJ, NY, etc. and/or had second homes in the area. Maria, JuanMa and the staff were also really great. I'm not sure I would drive hours for it, though, or pay $125/person again to go back a second time. But I'm happy for the experience.“