By LITIA MATHEWSELL
A passion for bringing the best and most authentic of Italian cuisine to Fiji, saw the opening of the Amalfi Italian Restaurant and Bar at Port Denarau on August 13, 2008.
And now after numerous requests for expansion, Amalfi will soon join Suva’s plethora of restaurants when it opens doors in the capital in 2014.
This has been confirmed by restaurant manager, Stefano Aprea.
“Our intention to set up in Suva is one hundred percent but we have not found a location yet,” he said.
“We really need somewhere that is both central and easilyaccessible downtown.”
Amalfiis named after a popular tourist town in Southern Italy.
A series of holidays there by businessman Hamid Ali- owner of parent company Great Pacific Hotels Limited, stirred an ambitous move to bring a piece of Italy to Fiji.
Successful five years
Last week marked five years of operations on Port Denarau for this locally-owned restaurant.
Over 200 local and foreign guests pack Amalfi for their anniversary celebrations.
The management can only look back with pride at a respected fort in the local culinary scene
MrApreasaid Amalfiis the only true Italian restaurant in Melanesia as it provides wholly authentic Italian cuisine in Italian furnishings with Italian managment.
Their rigid compliance with traditional Italian meals and recipes sees spirits, wines and many of their culinary products imported directly from Naples.
Halal-certified meat, herbs and vegetables are carefully sourced from local suppliers.
Commitment
Mr Aprea maintains that while it’s a costly investment, they are passionate about providing genuine Italian meals that would be found back in Italy.
These include classic seafood marinara, carbonara, lasagna and risotto porcini mushroom prepared under the watchful supervision of executive chef EnzoMaione.
“We don’t spend much time on marketing and advertising, preferring to get around on word-of-mouth which is a powerful tool,” he said.
“Over the last five years, the restaurant has only grown and continues to improve.”
Mr Aprea also stressed their commitment to inhouse training and employing staff with a zest of natural friendliness without being intrusive, as embodied in Italian culture.
Patrons and management of Amalfi Italian Restaurant and Bar celebrate the establishment’s fifth anniversary at Port Denarau last week.