Sushi at Aqua restaurant, where the emphasis is on reasonably priced, fun dishes to share.

Summer is the best time for an unexpected surprise, especially when it’s a dramatic, new outdoor dining spot.

The warm breezes of the season are so fleeting most of us want to savor them as much as possible, which makes the idea of dining in the summer moonlight so appealing.

While many of the city’s restaurants have sidewalk seating or courtyard dining, few can claim the oasis-style get-away-from-it-all that defines the brand spanking new Aqua in the Providence Marriott Downtown at the corner of Orms and Charles streets.

Yes, at the Marriott, a hotel where the parking is easy. Diners must not be of the jealous sort, however, as some of the seats afford a view of vacationers enjoying the indoor-outdoor pool.

The hotel’s pool area underwent a total renovation, including the creation of this grand new outdoor dining space. The pool’s perimeter is now defined by stone walls. Beyond them is a large decked space that sports three tables which turn into fire pits when night falls.

There’s high-top seating, comfy sofas with lamp lighting and a free standing tiki-style bar. Two walls of light boxes change color after dusk, and there’s a smoking corner with its own fireplace and a cigar menu.

Two curtained cabanas with oversized ottomans on which guests can recline as if on a bed offer another seating alternative.

The longtime executive chef Franco Paterno and sous chef Rebecca Lentrichia have fashioned an Aqua menu of small plates with no dish priced more than $16.

The offerings range from a watermelon flight (with yellow and red watermelon) drizzled with sweet balsamic syrup ($4) to a spicy tuna sushi dish ($13) with warm mounds of white rice topped with slices of fish. There are fruit and veggie plates and A Buncha Shrimp, a dish with two shrimp plus two bacon-wrapped bourbon barbecue shrimp plus two lime cucumber shrimp ($16). “Thai Beef Lollypops” blend ground veal and beef into meatball-style sticks with a dipping green curry coconut sauce ($12). American Kobe beef sliders (four to an order for $14) are topped with aged Cheddar and a mild sauce. Grilled fish tacos come with fresh slaw and chipotle sour cream, salsa fresca and guacamole ($11). Desserts include a trio of Roba Dolce gelato (mango, coconut and pistachio, on the night of my visit) in mini ice cream cones ($6).

While the Bluefin Grille is the hotel’s signature restaurant, chef Paterno wanted a new identity for Aqua. His goal was a menu of food that is accessible and fun and can offer plates for people to share.

For those seated at the tables that convert to fire pits, staff members come by to ask your interest in a cozy little fire, which most nights is welcome. Safety is clearly prized with this procedure.

Aqua opens at 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday and at 11 a.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It closes early, at 5 p.m., on Sunday. Private parties for up to 300 can be planned.

An Aqua drink menu has just been introduced with a Waterfire Martini (a flambé shot of Bacardi 151 dropped into a mix of berry gelato and Bacardi Razz). There are four varieties of mojitos as well as sangria. There are a handful of beers on tap including Newport Storm, more by the bottle and a substantial wine by the glass list. Frozen drinks are made at the bar. The hum of the blender can be heard above the soft music. And the Bluefin drink menu is also available which includes selections like the Pineapple Bomb (Absolut Mandarin, Captain Morgan’s Parrot Bay, Di Sarno and pineapple juice).

gciampa@projo.com