Sensations from the sea

 

Maroon upholstered chairs and white-linen tablecloths, bone china and gleaming silverware give a classy ambience to the resort’s theme decor of natural wood, rocks and bamboo poles. The “acqua” name is illustrated by wooden partitions shaped like coral and suspended mobiles that resemble swimming fish. The ceiling lamps are roughly coiled from the bark of mulberry trees and resemble sea urchins.

 

The 12-seat outdoor terrace is a great spot to gaze out over the sea and admire the sunset. Another dozen people can gather around separate, private dining tables inside. Perusing the menu, diners may be reluctant to order several of the unfamiliar dishes. But the ever-helpful chef Alberto Bruni and his staff are quick to the rescue with pictures of the food on iPads and explanations of how they are prepared. 

 

Still a bit short of diners after a couple of years in business, Acqua is expected to become busy now thanks to Bruni’s 40 years of culinary experience. Italian food connoisseurs may remember him from his years as the head chef at Don Giovanni restaurant at Sofitel Centara Grand Bangkok. He was invited to work here in the middle of last year and has adjusted the menu.

 

The best time to arrive is early evening when you can sip an aperitif or a glass of Italian wine and watch the sunset from the terrace. The restaurant has a large wine cellar and offers 65 different Italian and other international wines and also doubles as a private room for special party.

 

“Italian food should be matched with Italian wines,” Bruni states. “For food, simple is the best and also the most difficult to make.”

 

Bruni hails from La Spezia on the Italian Rivera and has been working in the kitchen since he was 14. A resident of Thailand for more than 20 years, he’s a music connoisseur, a Bigbike rider, and a skilled photographer – he took the pictures of foods shown to clients via the iPad. 

 

“Food, music and photography are exactly the same. They require balance, composition and passion and they complement each other,” he says.

 

One of his signature dishes is broiled giant sea scallops on red onion confit and sun-dried tomato tapenade (Bt490). The onion is broiled until caramelised with thyme. The scallop from the US is seared on a hot plate with a little pine nut and a few pinches of saffron. 

 

Another pleasing dish is risotto with pumpkin and taleggio cheese topped with mushroom (Bt590). The sweetness of pumpkin goes well with creamy texture of the cheese, which despite its strong aroma has a comparatively mild flavour with a fruity tang. Another creative menu is gnocchi with mascarpone and gorgonzola cheese, baked with green apple with crushed pistachio nuts (Bt490).

 

The special seasonal dish is Canadian lobster spaghetti (Bt1,690). The lobster is cooked with fresh sliced artichoke in garlic olive oil, white wine and parsley that is terrific with al dente spaghetti. 

 

ITALIAN BY DESIGN

Acqua is adjacent to the main lobby of Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort Pattaya, and open daily from 6 to 11pm. Call (038) 301 234 extension 4265.