"La Royal is the restaurant equivalent of cashmere loungewear. The space, with its low lighting, exposed brick, cozy two-tops, and handsome copper bar serves Peruvian comfort food dressed in party clothes. Think tender gratineed scallops in their halfshells, bracing ceviche spooned into cut-glass stemware, and branzino steamed in a banana leaf heaped with sweet onions, peppers, and herbs. The restaurant feels a bit like a grown-up version of the supper club the owners, Maria Rondeau and chef Juan Ma Calderon, ran out of their home before opening their first brick-and-mortor, Celeste, in 2018. Stew, stir-fries, and ceviches are the backbone of the menu, along with Chifa cuisine, a mashup of Chinese and Peruvian flavors, including the classic Lomo Saltado, an umami-bomb of steak, tomatoes, onions, and soy sauce. If you’re looking for a special dinner that never veers into stuffy, La Royale is just the place." - Catherine Smart
