IT?S always a buzz to discover a new restaurant, to be the first on your block to savor a complete new set of culinary delights.

And Acqua, which overlooks Kalim Bay, is a real ?discovery?.

Although it has only been open a month, discerning diners from all over the world are already flocking in for a taste of owner Alessandro Frau?s fantastic fare.

Alessandro, who comes from Sardinia, learned his craft in London, Paris, Sweden, Finland and Mexico before coming to Phuket in 2004.

For the past four years, he has been the executive chef at the Sheraton Laguna Phuket, but he has always dreamed of having his own, up-market beachfront restaurant.

Acqua, it?s Italian for Aqua, simply oozes class and style.

The d?cor is black and white which gives it a clean fresh feel, and you can choose between an indoor section and an outdoor terrace overlooking Kalim Bay.

The staff are very professional, and the charming restaurant manager Panwadee makes sure your every wish is granted.

The staff are friendly but unobtrusive, and they always seem to be there when you want them.

The kitchen is open and you can marvel as you watch the ten chefs working their magic as they prepare your meal.

?We import 80 per cent of our ingredients from overseas,? said Alessandro.

?It costs a little more than local produce, but we want to make sure our meals are only the very best quality.

?We import Black Angus beef and cherry tomatoes from Australia, and many of our other ingredients from Europe.?

And the food is fantastic.Complimentary olives, and a selection of breads, complete with tangy balsamic and olive oil dips kept us busy while we waited for the entrees.

I started with a southern Italian-style seafood salad (490 baht), and my partner opted for the lobster salad (580 baht).

Both were delicious and came served on Acqua?s own designer plates. Very impressive.

My partner?s salad feature large pieces of succulent lobster, and judging by the speed with which it disappeared, it must have been delicious.

My seafood salad included lobster, octopus, squid prawns, scallops and crab meat marinated in lemon and olive oil, and it disappeared just as quickly and for the same good reason.

Acqua has an extensive wine list, including some very impressive imported wines, which you can buy either by the bottle or by the glass.

We chose the Chardonnay Pieve DOC from Italy, (330 baht per glass) and it turned out to be an excellent choice.

For our mains, we chose the roast rack of lamb with pecorino cheese crust (800 baht) and the tiger prawns and swordfish stake combo (750 baht).

The lamb was tender, tasty, cooked to perfection, while the prawns and swordfish turned out to be a meal to die for.

The two giant prawns (I never knew they grew that big) were succulent and about as tasty as any prawns I have ever tasted, and the swordfish steak was so fresh, you could almost see it jumping out of the water.

The servings were generous, but not over the top, and at the end of the main course, we were both satisfied, and if the desserts weren?t so tempting we could have happily finished our dining experience there and then.

But the desserts beckoned, and my sweet-toothed partner was never going to pass upon the warm chocolate cake with vanilla sauce and milk ice cream.

I forgot the calorie count and chose the warm berry soup and mint ice cream.

The freshly baked chocolate cake was full of hot, melting chocolate, and like the entr?e, my partner finished it in double quick time.

My berry soup turned out to be just that, a plate-full of sweet berries of all sorts, including strawberries, blackberries and lots of other assorted berries.

The mint ice cream topped off the taste of the berries, and was well worth the extra inches on the waistline.

For afters, there is a wide range of coffees and after liqueurs including Illy, Lavazza and Victoria, ranging in price from 120 baht up to 220 baht.

Although it is still brand new, Acqua has already made its mark, and is set to become one of ?the? places to eat in Phuket.

Acqua Restaurant is on the foreshore in Probarramee Road in kalim Bay.

To book, call 076 618 127, email reservations@acquarestaurantphuket.com or or visit www.acquarestaurantphuket.com