Chef Fabio Moschini has created a menu of Italian specialities for Amano, combining local Kent produce with some delicacies imported from his home country. Originally from Rome, Moschini will be cooking the recipes learnt from his grandmother, “putting ingredients on the throne” and letting the natural flavours shine through.
Kent producers will also be celebrated, with raspberries and strawberries from Hugh Lowe Farm; lettuce and salad leaves from Betts Farm (based in West Malling); and local organic vegetables from Spadework. In addition, meat will be sourced from Kentfield Estate for game, and Chart Farm for venison.
Taking the translation of ‘Amano’ or ‘by hand’ on board, the restaurant’s interiors are rustic with a play on various textures. Blackened timber cladding and clay wall finishes all add an artisanal imperfection which can be seen throughout, while real asparagus ferns, creepers and vines, and marble table tops create a classic Mediterranean feel in a contemporary setting.
The restaurant sets itself apart by its internal courtyard or Orangery area with a clear glass roof and sloping glass to let natural light shine through on the warm interiors and banquet seating beneath. The historic fabric of the existing Grade II listed building has been respected with reinstated timber sash windows and internal oak beams.
Four boutique rooms sit above the restaurant that have been individually decorated in a contemporary and functional style, with comfort in mind, retaining as many of the original features as possible from the surrounding building.
Named after Italian actresses and singers, each room features Hypnos mattresses with cosy Egyptian cotton bed linens, a flat screen television, hairdryers and complimentary Wi-Fi. Bathrooms boast classic fixtures, fluffy towels, slippers and dressing gowns, and luxury bath and body products from Green & Spring.
