Aqua-fresh
Above: Aqua, Faversham
Above: The extensive wine selection at Aqua, Faversham
Housed in a beautifully restored old agricultural mill beside the creek in Faversham, and just down the road from the Shepherd Neame brewery, first impressions of Acqua are immediately appealing.
Sipping drinks on the narrow terrace, we watch the river craft below and chat to the enthusiastic owner, Edward Gaskin, a former sales and marketing director for Cartier who has now realised his long-held dream of owning a restaurant, we start to really fall in love with the place.
Renaissance
Rat-infested and derelict just five years ago, the mill that once fed Wellington’s troops is now, two years on, a 110-seater restaurant and bar that is attracting diners from as far field as Dover, Maidstone, Gillingham and Rochester.
It’s not hard to see why. Edward’s passion for all things Italian is everywhere, from the books on the windowsills about Italian food and wine to the menu itself and the way children (“my future customers,” as the father of four points out) are genuinely welcomed, with everything from a weekly mothers and toddlers morning to the pasta party held on the first Tuesday of each month that whole families can join in.
Edward’s passion for all things Italian is everywhere
But back to the grown ups. Wooden doors from the terrace lead you into the light and airy dining area, where brick-lined walls – some whitewashed, others left bare – display the work of a local artist, the floorboards are left unvarnished and the atmosphere is lively and cosmopolitan.
The menu, which changes frequently, is both appealing and easy to navigate, ranging from appetisers and antipasti, including ‘pure and simple’ Parma ham with honey, cured meats and cheeses, through to pizzas and pasta, six meat dishes, a smaller fish selection, and chef Neil Adams’ specials.
Locally sourced
Edward likes to shop locally, and his fish is from TK Fisheries in Whitstable, meat comes from an Italian butcher also in Whitstable, while his vegetables are from Ashford and a local farm, White Hill, which does great asparagus.
Guided by Edward’s recommendation, I choose chicken liver parfait to start, freshly made that day and served with Prosciutto ham, red onion chutney and warm Italian bread. It’s quite the best I’ve ever tasted, light yet rich and perfect with a glass of white Garganega from an eclectic list put together by Master of Wine Clive Barlow, of The Goods Shed in Canterbury.
my choice of triangoli spada is a new addition to the menu
The Other Half opts for classic carpaccio, fine slices of very tender beef fillet, and gobbles it up with great relish. After a plate-cleansing sorbet, he was equally enthusiastic about his scallopine di pollo, declaring the chicken breast wrapped in Parma ham and stuffed with Fontina cheese in a lemon, cream and herb sauce “outrageously good.”
Both this and my choice of triangoli spada are new additions to the menu: my swordfish pasta served in a creamy sauce that included steamed spinach and crayfish more or less contained all my favourite things, and was a definite hit. Try it, like I did, with a glass of crisp Sauvignon Blanc from Chile.
After that feast, I was only up for three scoops of delectable sorbet, but TOH impressed our adorable waiter, who turned out to be one of Edward’s two teenage sons on duty that night, by going the whole hog and polishing off every last bit of his chocolate and amaretto cheesecake.
Acqua is definitely addictive and, if Edward gets his way, watch out for the empire expanding in the future. He’s got his eye on Folkestone and Deal, and I’m sure that is just the beginning. Happy birthday, Acqua. We’ll be back.
Go there
Acqua
Provender Mill, Belvedere Road, Faversham ME13 7LD
Tel: 01795 590580/530150
Typical prices: starters £5.50-£7.75, pizza and pasta dishes £7.95-£9.95, main courses £10.95-£18.50, dessert
Next review - coming soon
Previous review (Terracotta, Cranbrook)
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