Italy is no stranger to delectable gastronomy, in fact I highly doubt it’s possible to return from an Italian sojourn, however brief, feeling dissatisfied with one’s culinary choices; from Roman street food to fresh Amalfi lemons plucked straight from the tree, every morsel is an attack on the senses, screaming flavour.
There are delicious delights to be found all year round in this land, and with Summer looming, thoughts are filled with booking the diary with summer hotspots. For food with a view, the Amalfi Coast should be at the top of your agenda, particularly as the spring months offer sun-dappled days without the tourist hordes and traffic that bring the winding roads to standstill come high season.
The diamond in the crown of this dream stretch of coastline holds court amid the clifftops above Amalfi; perched overlooking the glistening expanse of blue stretching to the horizon is the Monastero Santa Rosa, a luxurious hotel and spa escape homes within a spectacular 12th century monastery. You’d be forgiven for driving past it given its subtle facade, but the moment you cross the threshold you’re in some kind of Italian Narnia.
The hotel, its one Michelin Star restaurant Il Refetorio, it’s sun-drenched terraces and it’s infinity pool cascade down the clifftop into infinity; it would be entirely possible to spend a day simply gazing at the limitless ocean, but you should at least indulge in a Michelin starred lunch while you do so.
The Executive Chef Christoph Bob, an alumnus of some of the world’s most celebrated restaurants, has created a menu packed with the freshest ingredients and bursting with flavours inspired by the surrounding Campania region; think richly sun-ripened fruit and vegetables, herbs plucked from the hotel’s own gardens and plenty of seafood from that dazzling coastline.
With specialties like the appetiser trio of crustaceans, lobster with chickpea puree and smoked olive oil broad bean salad with Colonnata’s bacon and king prawn ravioli with Corbara’s tomatoes and candied lemon – and that’s just to start – each and every dish on the menu combines the freshest local, organic ingredients of the local fishing village of Conca dei Marini.
A summer’s lunch proved a midpoint in a twisting journey south from Sorrento, the perfect pit stop to take away the stress of the road and a welcome respite from Amalfi Coast driving. Even at a busy lunchtime with a few large tables the dining room still seemed a serene oasis in stark contrast to the honking streets below it.
Given my penchant for a caprese salad (essentially having one with every meal during my week in Italy this summer…) it had to be done. With tomatoes mellowed with months of Italian sunshine, the flavour in every mouthful was sensational, cutting perfectly through a creamy chunk of mozzarella drizzled in extra virgin olive oil. The il Crudo di Parma con Burrata spread of melt-in-the-mouth Parma ham, oozing burrata and a crisp bruschetta with yet more of the divine tomatoes was a hit, though a salad of rocket, tossed in lemon vinaigrette and topped with grilled prawns, figs and toasted pine nuts was less of a success; at first arriving minus the prawns, it appeared their flavour didn’t quite work with the accompanying fig. Admittedly, instant regret set in when we witnessed a platter of seafood making its way to the next table; given its location above an Amalfi coast fishing village, the seafood is known to be a star of the show. For heaven in dessert form, the semifreddo with raspberry coulis and was divine; fresh and fruity, with exactly the right juxtaposition of sweet and tart. It’s probably worth stopping for lunch just for that to be honest.
Dinner menus are similarly packed with flavour, focusing on fresh, seasonal produce. Recent dishes have included carpaccio of scampi marinated with “sfusato amalfitano” lemon and served with a fig chutney, baby octopus stewed with “piennolo” cherry tomatoes and served with sautéed endive, garlic cream and crispy bread and fresh fish baked in a salt crust served with artichokes and grilled vegetables accompanied by a lemon and mint vinaigrette.
Given the boutique hotel only boasts 20 rooms, the culinary team can cater dining experiences to guests’ wants and needs, taking into account individual tastes and palates, meaning not only is the a la carte option a sublime choice but you can indulge in a totally bespoke gastronomic experience, should your heart desire, not to mention the master Sommelier that will be at your fingertips. Admittedly I can’t pass comment on the wine – given I had another portion of Amalfi Coast ahead of me and three more hours of driving, I didn’t feel wine with lunch was the most sensible option – but with a cellar containing everything from local Italian reds to vintage French champagne to fine chardonnays it’s worth staying over to be able to indulge (or at least arranging a transfer to your next location…)
Halfway between the sea and the sky, Il Refetorio is a slice of tranquility a million miles from the coastal road below with a heavenly menu to match.
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