Cala Bella Shingle Creek

Cala Bella is a gem within the Shingle Creek resort. I was in town for work, so I popped in on my own and had no trouble getting a table for one. It's not a super quiet place with a lot of dinner chatter and the piano playing, but all restaurants in the resort were pretty busy as it is. There's a busy bar and then plenty of seating for tables.The charred octopus was incredible, although the tip was maybe slightly too charred. The plating was spectacular and it had an amazing balance in flavor with the olive oil and zest. The pappardelle was also incredible, with a decent portion. The bread crumbs and cheese add great texture mixes. It is so flavorful and the meat was tender. Loved these!Service was very friendly. Through most of my dining experience I was tended to very reasonably, but as the evening picked up I think I was forgotten about. My server also happened to be one of the two bartenders, but with the bar picking up they were socializing with the guests seated there quite a lot. I didn't mind too much because I was reading through dinner until waiting a while for the check, but when there was no sign the server was coming back I went up to the bar for my check. I think difficult for the server to tend the social aspects at the bar and tables, which is understandable. So regardless, I definitely recommend this spot.

Cala Bella is such a hidden gem that I didn't know existed until Magical Dining . They have a $40 MD menu & I booked a reservation for me and my husband for 7:30pm . The restaurant is located inside the Rosen shingles creek hotel. It is an Italian restaurant. The ambiance is nice and romantic . They have a piano that auto plays itself I thought that was cool. On our way to our table you have a glimpse of the kitchen and we were sat near the back and we could see the pool from our table window. Our waiter Vince was Amazing & very attentive. We started with drinks ( not on MD menu) my husband got the Bella black Manhattan and I got the espresso martini. I tasted my husband's manhattan and I swear I grew 3 chest hairs because it was so strong . My espresso martini was delicious. My husband got another drink later which was the Old Fashion. It too was very strong . From the MD menu we both ordered the baked meatballs. (mozzarella cheese, san marzano tomato, grilled focaccia, italian oregano). For our entrees he got the Hertaberkschwein Farms Pork Chop (mascarpone polenta, mustard greens, pickled golden raisin & sage brown butter) & I ordered the Oxtail Fettuccine(oxtail ragout, stracciatella, shishito peppers, house focaccia crumb, italian oregano). For dessert he ordered the Chocolate Crème Brulée(caramelized sugar, blood orange sauce, seasonal fruit) & I got the Pistachio Cheesecake(pistachio crunch, candied pistachios, raspberry sauce). They brought out a bread spread and while we waited for our appetizers . Everything was very good & tasty! There was nothing that we didn't like . I ended up taking most of my entree to go along with most of my dessert because I was stuffed, but that wasn't after eating some. The plates were hefty just like I would expect from an Italian restaurant. I would definitely recommend this spot for a night out. They do validate parking for valet just make sure you ask the host before you leave to stamp your valet ticket .

Amazing food and great service, the grilled octopus was exquisite. Hidden gem inside the Shingle Creek Rosen hotel.

Had a great time here. came here for a tech conference and celebrated my coworker's birthday with the cake, which was delicious. Had the lasagna which was very yummy as well as the garden salad and octopus which was cooked perfectly. I believe this is the best restaurant in the hotel or at least the most refined. servers were also very attentive, and the atmosphere was very cozy.

The first time I ate dinner at Cala Bella, it was pre-ordained. Meaning the location was preselected as part of a conference weekend. So I had no idea what I was walking into. Sure I read reviews to try and get a better picture and was rather excited to experience what I read. I've since been back twice. And love the place. So let's dive into the review:Ambiance - this is the only weak link in the chain, but that's because it's in a Rosen hotel built for conferences. So the decor and furniture are bulky. Dated dark cherry wood is everywhere, and you can tell it's just a rectangle shape room in the building. However, this doesn't matter. It's nice enough, but casual enough that you can eat right after hanging by the pool. So don 't let this get you down.Service - top shelf. If you know anything about Rosen properties, they have been trained to be masters in hospitality. And the restaurant service is no different. Everyone is friendly, genuine and there to please. Beverages - awesome. Whether you want an Italian beer, a coffee or wine, or one of their super tasty cocktails, you have options here that all go will with the food on the menu. Which is what this place is really all about. The food.Food - worth driving back for. That's not a compliment to be handed out to a place way out in resort-and-conference land. But for Cala Bella, it's true. They must have a really talented team of chefs right now, because every single thing I've ordered has been amazing. The bread they serve upon seating is fresh, soft, warm, delicious. The charcuterie and cheese tray is absolutely out of this world. The Beef Carpaccio is stunningly tender and delicious. And this Grass Fed Lamb dish, pictured here, is my favorite dish in all of Orlando. With squash grown on the property, swiss chard, gravy, etc, and the most delicious lamb I've ever had, this is something I can strongly recommend. Along with the whole experience in general.

Had a chance to eat here and it was a great experience. The servers were great and really took care of us. Had a chance to taste an old fashioned which was made well. The Salumi e Formaggi Antipasti was delicious. I had the Prime Beef Ribeye which was absolutely delicious! It was cooked perfectly and the juice just poured out with each cut. Finished with a dessert sample that really finished the meal well. I did not stay at the resort but it looked like a nice place to stay and spend the weekend. Valet parking was on par for the Orlando area.

I was staying at the Rosen hotel and thought I'd try one of their on-property restaurants. I got there right when they opened and grabbed a seat at the bar. The bar was empty but quickly filled up. The bartender was awesome. Attentive and engaging. But to be honest, I was not impressed with the food. I ordered bruschetta and carpaccio. The bruschetta was ok, nothing to brag about but the carpaccio tasted so salty that i couldn't eat it. I'm not one to send food back but the bartender could tell something wasn't right with it when he asked me what I thought about it. He asked if I wanted something else I politely said no but in the end he took care of it. If I go back during my stay it will just to grab a drink at the bar. The bar had a decent amount of seating along with a few tables around it.

I had the oxtail pasta and it was so delicious. Unique flavor and definitely worth a return visit. The meatball appetizer was moist and perfectly seasoned. I had the pistachio cheesecake and it was smooth with a sweet/salty balance. The French 75 was strong and sweet, again the perfect balance Pros: valet parking is free with a stamp from the restaurant The restaurant is directly when you walk it (tucked away but close to the entrance)The service is impeccable The drinks are made to absolute perfection Portion sizes are very generous Atmosphere is very friendly and inviting Cons: None

Before we sat down, I asked the hostess if they had a kids' menu, and she said yes, ask the waiter when you're seated. We waited briefly and taken to our table, but I asked if we could have a window seat. She said lets go back to the lobby and sat us next to a wall BUT yet a couple afterward was seated next to the window. Our waitress Cristina has no sense of customer service. I asked her for a kids' menu or order small portion due to me having a gastric bypass. I explained to her what my restrictions were & she said you could order an appetizer, but we dont have menus for kids then proceeded to tell me to order octopus appetizer (1 thing that will send me to ER because it will get stuck in my stomach pouch).Cristina asked if we wanted water & I said no, but I was given water. There is nothing I can eat off the menu except a salad, so that is all I had.I didn't have the heart to go to another restaurant as my husband had his heart set on spaghetti.That set tone for dinner, and my husband said spaghetti and meatballs were just ok.If you have children, they are not able to accommodate them.The 1 time our waitress showed emotions is when she gave us our bill and actually smiled.I dont recommend this restaurant. Not able to accomdate dietary restrictions or families with children.

We stopped in for our final night and we were seated right away. Our server was very friendly and offered us advise on several items on the menu. I took her advice and ordered baked meatballs. They were very good. I talked my wife into trying them and suddenly they were gone. I ordered the oxtail fettuccine. It was good. I'm not a big red sauce guy and it was a good meal worth eating. I know that sounds like ok praise, but I really don't like red sauce. So what I'm really saying is that these wizards made something terrible taste good. If you like red sauce this might be the best thing ever. The restaurant was clean and quiet. Very upscale. Between the cost and the upscale decorum I was surprised to see several young families at the restaurant as well. We ordered the pistachio cheesecake. My wife loves it. I'm a bit of a cheesecake snob. I am very good at making cheesecake and so I have a high standard. This cheesecake did not meet it. However the way they dressed it up while visually unappealing almost made up for the texture of the cheesecake.