Interiors of Aqua at The Park. Pictures by Rashbehari Das

Sip champagne on a swing or laze with a Lady Perfect on a double-sized deckchair by the iridescent blue pool, even as you tuck into a Seafood Salad in Salsa Picante or a portion of Grilled Tenderloin…

The Cal Pinxo in Barcelona, Da Puny in Portofino or La Decolle in Brittany would promise you almost everything — from fondue in the Alps to shellfish by the sea.

Aqua, the brand new wine-dine den at The Park poolside, brings an “al fresco bar and dining experience for the first time” to the eastern part of the country.

“Aqua is yet another boutique experience, an outstanding designer outdoor concept that will offer a completely different level of personalised entertainment at a super-premium luxury level,” promises Salmoli Mukerji, director, public relations, The Park Hotels.

The cool pool, with the sky as canopy, forms the centrepiece around which wooden loungers and deckchairs are placed and interesting nooks and corners are created. The pool, with underwater illumination, captures the changing colours of the sky.

The restaurant has two sections — the open sundeck and the indoor air-conditioned lounge-seating dining area. The mood in the spacious outdoors keeps changing all the time, in sync with the tone of light falling over it. So, the daytime lounging area by the poolside becomes a chill-out zone in the evening, complete with DJ tracks.

“It’s 12 to 12 fun-food dining with an easy international menu and an exhaustive list of cocktails, and both classic and contemporary world wines. The outdoors concept is extremely popular in Europe during fair weather and we are proud to create that luxurious ambience in the heart of busy Park Street,” declares Anirban Simlai, director, food and beverage, The Park, Calcutta.

Perched on top of the pool at one end is a jacuzzi where you can take a dip while enjoying a Flaming Lamborghini (vodka, kahlua, cointreau and Bailey’s), an Ants in the Pants (gin, sweet vermouth, Grand Marnier, lemon juice) or your favourite malt.

The open sundeck, at the other end next to the AC lounge-restaurant, provides a marine mood, morphing into a pad for relaxed repartee at night. Two champagne pavilions overlooking the pool are intimate zones for lounging, drinking and dining, while there are mushroom settee-seating contraptions to complete the chill feel.

The cuisine is fun and eclectic. You can help yourself to a Mexican Tortilla Wrap with peppers, tofu, onions, jalapeno and sour cream or a rare Prosciutto e Melone (Italian Parma ham, rock melon and oregano oil), besides a spread of pastas and risottos.

A sandwich and panini corner rustles up international delicacies like Grilled Panini with artichokes, mushroom, onion, cocktail dressing, coleslaw and French fries and Multi-grain Tomato and Mozzarella Grilled Sandwich with Russian salad and chilly sauce.

Among Aqua specialities, there are dishes like Stir-fried Tofu with Garlic and Peas Pulao, Thai Green Curry with Chicken or Vegetables, Steamed Rice and Grilled Jumbo Prawns Head on Soft Vegetables and Potenta Mash and Asparagus.

The Aqua dessert menu beckons with Hot Chocolate Fudge, English Sticky Date Pudding, Walnut and Lemongrass Parfait and much more…