Open just over a year, Cala is inside the Senna House, a boutique hotel in Scottsdale. The charming restaurant space, built in the spot that once housed Don & Charlie’s, is owned by Clive Collective, a Phoenix-based hospitality company. With celebrity chef Beau MacMillan at the helm and the young up-and-coming chef Peter McQuaid as executive chef, guests are in for an experience in food.

The hotel entrance offers a great first impression with soft background music and lots of greenery. Walking in, I felt graced with a calming effect and visions of vacation. A large square-sized bar with bamboo-style chairs is welcoming and dangerously inviting. Window seating is plentiful, and a large patio with an outdoor bar entices one to take the rest of the day off.

Cala is a great place to have lunch with a girlfriend or a romantic dinner with your partner. The Mediterranean coastal fare is flavorful, with fresh ingredients. And the delicate subtleties like toasted pistachios on the tuna tartare or steak spiced focaccia croutons in the little gem caesar salad offer a special touch to each dish.

An excellent choice for lunch is the Calabrian Chile Chicken Sandwich on a housemade torta topped with mozzarella, red peppers, red onions, wild arugula, basil pesto, and roasted garlic aioli. The Mediterranean Mezze Platter with turmeric basmati rice, bahar spiced lentils, white bean hummus, butter lettuce, pickled vegetable, kalamata olive, and toasted pita with chicken is wonderful and enough for two people to share. Dinner specialties are homemade pasta and hand-stretched pizzas — the dough is made in-house. Fresh seafood and delicacy dishes with steak, chicken, pork, and lamb are also delicious alternatives.

The wine list has an excellent representation from all over Italy and California. There are also French, German, Spain, and Chilean options on the menu. Whites, Reds, Roses, and Sparklings are offered by the glass and by the bottle, with a price range from $40 to $850 per bottle. The 2019 Avignonesi “Cantaloro” Super Tuscan is a lovely choice with hints of tart cherries, velvety tannins, and lively acidity for $60. Additionally, the cocktails are fun and unique, including a S’Ancho Reyes Margararita with notes of poblano pepper.

Visit Cala at Senna House at 7501 E. Camelback Rd., Scottsdale, Arizona 85251. To make reservations go to https://www.calascottsdale.com/ or call 480-590-5676