Amarla Casco Viejo is fast becoming a familiar name to the many who frequent Panama’s most historic UNESCO – designated region. The eight-key boutique hotel is known as the destination for a good time – where music, art, design, food and wellness play together. Following its opening in 2022, the hospitality and lifestyle group behind the Amarla brand, introduces Kaandela. Driven by local Panamanian flavours, the restaurant features a menu of soul food, kicked up a notch and given new life, thanks to of-the-moment techniques.
The Concept
The Amarla (translated to ‘purity’) brand was founded by British entrepreneurs Asher Warr and Robin Faulkner in 2021. The innovative group made a statement with its first property in Cartagena, putting a marker in the sand with its genuine values rooted in local culture, community and design, while redefining the luxury hospitality experience. The group continued to expand with the opening of this property, Amarla Casco Viejo, in 2022.
Kaandela is created by the Amarla Founders and Chef Edy Acedo. The introduction of Kaandela marks Amarla’s commitment to place Panama’s rich culinary heritage at the centre of the gastronomic map by presenting dishes inspired by the local fiery flavours to a wider global audience.
Key to their approach is the notion of an actual community, and both Kaandela and Amarla manage an incredible balancing act: the spaces are beautifully designed and glisten with a new twist on local culture.
The culmination of art, hospitality, music, and culture are all packaged through a local lens.
The Restaurant
Since the beginning of time humans have come together around fire to share stories, music, laughter and food. That is the essence of Kaandela. The restaurant, located on the ground floor is relaxed and the design is both bold and unique, seamlessly integrated within the centuries-old walls of this historic casona yet contemporary and relevant. The space is an embodiment of the area—sexy, elegant, laid-back, and tropical.
The Food
Chef Edy Acedo and his team have worked hard to create a menu that reflects Panama’s bold flavours. The dishes have been developed after working closely with independent local producers and fiery local flavours await.
The bar has a spirited South American selection of mezcals and coffee (best sipped on the rooftop, overlooking the trendier-by-the-day Casco). Crafted cocktails and spirited tunes accompany the dining experience, while the restaurant team leads guests on a sensorial journey of explosive flavors.
Chef Edy
Chef Edy is a name in his own right, recently being a finalist on Top Chef Panama All Stars and he is very much driving the foodie revolution in Casco Viejo. Since Kaandela’s opening, Casco Viejo’s ecosystem has been exploding in sync with the islands’ culinary and mixology scene. A decade ago, nobody came to Panama. Today, Casco features a world-class culinary and bar scene, the country’s best nightlife, and some of Panamá’s most important historic buildings like the National Theatre and the Presidential Palace.
Free from formality but uncompromised when it comes to personal service and with exceptional design and creative programming, Amarla Casco Viejo showcases local rich culture and traditions through a lauded contemporary outlook. The hotel marks a catalyst for a new era of tourism in Panama, attracting a cool crowd of explorers, creatives, wellness lovers and adventurers from across the globe to explore the old town. Authentic local experiences, art, incredible design, visiting practitioners, make this one of the most exciting, and forward-thinking, properties not only in Casco Viejo but in Panama itself.
More to come soon!
