Feature – CALA - The Scottsdale Living

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CALA Scottsdale

Experience cool crowds, coastal cocktails, and captivating cuisine at CALA Scottsdale. Inspired by “Cala Road” in Mallorca, Spain, this Mediterranean restaurant offers guests a chance to escape to the beautiful coastline through its ambiance, drinks, and food.

While they are known for their fresh and daily-made pastas, pizzas, and seafood, the high-energy atmosphere is what gives CALA its name. The restaurant is located on the bottom of The Senna House hotel, and guests can dine in an indoor/outdoor environment, surrounded by a 40ft patio bar, cabanas, and beautiful lush landscaping, sure to bring an authentic coastal feel.

The menu is a creation of Celebrity Chef Beau MacMillan and Executive Chef Peter McQuaid. It begins with an array of shareables, followed by handmade pizzas and pastas, entrees, and side dishes. Accompanied by drinks and desserts with names and flavors from its land of inspiration.

The standout shareables begin with the fennel and citrus salad, hummus, and whipped ricotta. The salad, complete with little gem lettuce, treviso, a milder form of radicchio, parmesan, toasted walnut, and a honey tarragon vinaigrette, is fresh and slightly bitter. The hummus is herb-y and served with flavorful pita bread, while the ricotta is served with garlic and black pepper focaccia alongside a basil pesto.

Next, pizza and pasta. The Funghi Pizza is the most unique and popular selection, plus vegetarian. The fresh and homemade dough is baked with black truffle, wild mushrooms, mozzarella, feta, parmesan reggiano, caramelized shallots, and chives.

The Wagyu Bolognese Pasta features wagyu beef, from local distributor Terra Market, with pork, veal, and red wine tossed with thick noodles coated in a thyme and tomato-based sauce. This dish can also be made vegan, using red lentil bolognese.

CALA also serves brunch and lunch daily, plus offers a happy hour menu. The breakfast specialties are typical dishes with a coastal twist, but a popular and memorable item is the Lemon Ricotta Pancakes. The fluffy pancakes are topped with powdered sugar, macerated berries, and vanilla chantilly cream. Take your brunch experience to the next level by dining in a cabana for an authentic island feel.

The happy hour menu is a weekday-only offering and is a limited version of the main dinner menu. It promotes discounted cocktails and a half-off deal for natural wine bottles.

Now for the drink menu, which will put you in a perfect vacation mindset. Starting with cocktails, there is a good variety of flavors and concoctions for everyone. The Mykonos Margarita is a tequila and triple sec-based drink with a Mediterranean twist on a traditional margarita. This bright blue drink is fruity and tropical with a hint of sweetness.

The alternative, in color and flavor, is The S’ancho cocktail. Another tequila-based cocktail, but it has a smoky and spicy flavor from the Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur and tajin rim. If a cocktail isn’t your choice of drink, CALA offers red, white, rose, and natural wines, along with draft beers.

Finish your meal with one of these delicious desserts: Butterscotch Pot de Creme or Lemon Butter Cake. The first dessert is creamy and silky, blasting with salted caramel flavors, topped with a chantilly cream and caramel cereal crunch. The second is a cake with a citrusy custard and pine nut crumble, and it is served with a floral lavender sorbet.

When envisioning the kind of experience at CALA Scottsdale, think of the beautiful azure blue ocean, the bohemian vibes of Greece, Spain, and Italy, and the bright colors of the Mediterranean coast. This, plus incorporating desert flare, makes the experience here ultra unique. CALA is perfect for groups celebrating birthdays or bachelorette parties or for locals wanting to grab a meal with friends or family.

Tip: Reservations are highly recommended, regardless of your party size, as the restaurant gets very busy.