Fiamma is the Italian word for flame. It conjures up images of fireiness, passion and intensity.I see a raven-haired chef, a tempestuous beauty with dark eyes and fierce heart. I see a wild genius who demands perfection, whose life is her work, whose work is her art.In Ballito there's an appealing restaurant called Fiamma.It's on the road just back of the beach in the pleasantly appointed Coco De Mer boutique hotel.You glimpse the sea through palm trees. It's a fine place to spend an afternoon. It's classy without being stuffy: white linen tablecloths and impeccable service in a relaxed setting.Adjoining the formal restaurant is a casual poolside gig that is obviously a hit with the locals.Happy families spent the afternoon paddling around, sipping cocktails and munching pizza.Fiamma must be getting it right. It has a great ambience and gets regular accolades on Trip Advisor.Which is why I will be back even though lunch was really rather ordinary.I say this reluctantly. Great care has clearly gone into this enterprise. The menu is well considered; there is a wide choice of pizza, pasta, meat and combos; the portions are generous and the presentation is fine.It ticks all the boxes, but alas, occasionally lacked depth of flavour.The starters of calamari, carpaccio and focaccia were passable. The calamari, while plentiful, was chewy. Of the mains, the prawns were lovely and plump, but not lip-smacking tasty.The same goes for the frutti di mare pasta - I had to jazz it up with too much chilli.The seafood pizza was fantastic though, and redeemed the entire meal. It was big, crisp and groaning with tasty topping.We shared crème brûlée for dessert. It was delicious. So I figure if the pizza and the pudding were that good, the rest could be too. Fiamma warrants a second chance.I suspect there is a brooding maestro in the kitchen who had the day off on Sunday. And I look forward to meeting her when I next visit. I imagine she'll be gorgeous and after she's slapped me she'll swoon in my arms and declare her undying love for me.Of course, she could be a he and he could be a big, swarthy dude with colossal forearms, a bad attitude and "revenge" tattooed on his forehead.In which case it serves me right for my wild imagining.Need to knowWhen to go: It's open seven days a week, from noon until 9pm.Who to take: Someone who fancies the seaside vibe.What not to do: Miss out on the seafood pizza.What to drink: The great selection of good wines at reasonable prices.How much do you need: R1000 for three starters, three mains, a dessert, espresso, a bottle of wine and two beers.Address: Fiamma Grill, 63 Compensation Beach Road, Ballito.Phone: 032-946-1029..