Often there are restaurants that yield very pleasant surprises. A collection of signature dishes and other appealing items that are visually stunning as well as impeccably prepared and a setting that together exude a sense of passion and an unrushed charm in an indoor/outdoor dining area, are factors that set this place to eat apart from others.

Cinnamon, at the Katathani Phuket Beach Resort on the secluded and quiet Kata Noi Beach, infuses such a distinguished dining experience. With a menu that features a Mediterranean fusion cuisine of uniquely prepared seafood and meat dishes and traditional “quick bite” favourites such as pizzas and pastas, Cinnamon offers a celebration of superb food.

Our sampling of this first class cuisine began with the Salad of Duck Confit and crisp lettuce in raspberry dressing garnished with grilled mushrooms, and the Tea Smoked Lobster with sun ripened avocado on a Spanish gazpacho sauce. With attention to detail in both the presentation and taste, the chef’s creations immediately had us enchanted with the unusual combinations of ingredients and the light delicate flavours of the dishes.

The main course similiarly offered a tantalizing medley of delights: the Baked Fillet of Garoupa with cinnamon risotto and decorated with pine nut and crispy sweet basil; the Seafood Variety of grilled tiger prawn, lobster medallion, yellow fin tuna and sea scallop with tamarind sauce on a bell pepper ragout, and the Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin garnished with vegetables, grilled polenta triangle and beetroot jus, offered a discovery of exciting blends of foods delicately flavoured with an array of exotic spices and unique sauces.

With a Chilean Santiago 1541 Cabernet-Sauvignon – a perfect accompaniment to the exquisite dishes, and a trio of musicians who serenaded diners with guitars and voices and heightened the sense of the restaurant’s charm, our evening was exceptional. A dessert of Cinnamon Ice Cream Fantasia with exotic fruits and fresh fruit coulis provided a light yet sweet delight to top off the meal.

For a pre-dinner cocktail or an after dinner drink, the nearby Beach Club is the perfect place to relax in the comfortable lounge chairs as the sun sets or to enjoy some music into the late evening.

Infused with passion, first-class cuisine and unforgettable charm, Cinammon offers a special something for both visitors and residents.