We entered the resort and headed for Cucina Italian restaurant where the first thing that meets your gaze is the restaurant's brick pizza oven, and chefs at the pasta station, creating intricate shapes as you watch. Terracotta, stone, brick and wood add to the feeling of this being a true Italian "cucina", or farmhouse kitchen. There are huge windows that greet the beach and sea adding a comfortable and soothing atmosphere to the restauran while the design of Cucina resembles a quaint Italian square. An intimate atmosphere is created by soft candlelight that radiates from classic pillar candles and uniquely large glass lamps placed in the middle of the tables. Admittedly, these elegant lamps can tend to block your view of the person sitting opposite, until they are removed to make room on the table.

The restaurant's chef was strolling around talking to diners and made his way to our table. He greeted the four of us and after the standard drilling of questions by patrons, he explained that 80% of the ingredients come from either farms in Northern Thailand or imported from Italy. Cooking is done in the traditional North Italian style, however some of the heavy dishes have been modified to account for the hot & humid climate of the island.

Our meal began with a light, white Gavi di Gavi 2000, Fontanafreddoa that was accompanied by a couple orders of bruschetta. Next up was our appetizer. A plte of antipasti misti, which is a canape-style creation of aubergine, mushroom, squid, mussels, and clams with flavors of garlic and herbs along with plenty of olive oil. Main courses included clams & mussels in garlic and parsley olive oil, seabass with onions, tomato sauce and chili, roast lamb with honey and for some reason we ordered a fifth item, the angel hair pasta with prawns, clams, and lobster which everybody shared. Of course, by the time our main course arrived we were ready for our red wine and we all enjoyed a glass of Chianti Classico Castello Banfi 1999. The night was enhanced by Antonio, a wandering minstrel from Argentina who sings in eight languages but prefers Italian and Spanish. From corners and shadows, not intrusive, the sounds from his guitar and his gentle voice fell like a light mist over the room. Lastly, I don't know how we all fit in dessert ...but we did. Each couple shared tiramisu and an ice cream spaghetti with strawberry sauce and coconut. Everything was scrumptuous, but did you really expect any less from a Marriott?