Calis Beach and Fethiye Turkey Discussion Forum
Calis Beach Forum => Calis Bar and Restaurant Questions and Discussions => Topic started by: Scunner on November 01, 2015, 16:47:12 PM
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Since we were staying there (Hotel Delta), when Cenk suggested we ate there it did seem a good idea. People either like it or don't - and that has been the case since day one, 11 years ago.
The main criticism is the lack of banter with the staff, something we all appreciate in Calis - the waiting staff at Bella Mammas are quite stiff and standoffish. Personally I do like that - it was a revelation in 2004 (along with the magnificent Lighthouse of Phil & Louise back then). I know where to go for my japes and banter if I want that but back then it was simply wonderful to eat in a good restaurant without the waiter sitting down next to you with plans for his uncle's neighbour's auntie's boss's new apartment project - yet another new development people wanted us to sell. Maybe you can imagine the attraction of people who just take your order and go away ;)
That said, we haven't been there in a number of years and I was interested to see if the standard was still good and the service still similar.
Well it is. 8 of us ate there on our last full night and it was exactly the same - efficient, professional, no banter. Great. I am getting sniggered at for continually and carefully perusing menus over there, and then going for the Garlic Prawns starter AGAIN - night after night, restaurant after restaurant :D And that night was no exception and bloody good they were too.
One of the problems with staying at the Delta (and there aren't many I assure you) is that you sit on the balcony, looking out on one of the great views of life, fully contented and ready to go out - then some git down below has his sizzling dish delivered to the table - the smells soaring upwards are incredible.
So for main course I chose Swedish Steak - I assume Swedish people have steak cooked in honey and onions and my, it was lovely, so tasty. It normally comes with fries or potatoes but I love the Bella Mamma piped mash - the combination has put it on the famous Campbell "must do" list for me.
Everyone happy with their meals, some had room for some very fancy desserts (not me) and a few drinks were consumed as I recall. Once again, the bill was extremely reasonable.
Highly recommended, sorry we left it so long.
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Always been a favourite of ours since it first opened. They must be doing something right, when we were there in June it took almost the whole 2 weeks to manage to get a table and there was only 2 of us!
Nice review Scunner.
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We rang and booked a table in June at Bella and also in October. In October, we also had a very nice meal, but it seems the meals are always good there, but I always feel there is something missing. It is a cold atmosphere and the staff are very standoffish and you are served quickly and the plates taken away as soon as you finish. We always feel rushed in there.
We much prefer Casa Di Mammas. The food is the same because the Chefs and some of the staff from Bella's started up Casa. We are always welcomed and the staff do not sit at the table with us. They are polite and efficient. We went in there at 8.00pm in October (our last night) with some friends and left at 11.00pm and no one rushed us out. Moved on to the Beach House when we saw the excellent Sunshine Band playing there.
I would recommend Bella's for the food, it is excellent.
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We always enjoy our meals at bella mama, to be honest we go so much that the waiters all know us and go out of their way to come over and chat to us, likewise the owner and his Wife will always come over and chat to us. We find it has the perfect balance - friendly and efficient and the food excellent - my favourite is also the Steak Swedish but i find it hard to get through, so i asked the manger if they would do a smaller portion - no problem - it is called a 'junior' meal and was basically half the meal (which was absolutely perfect for me) and it was only charged at half price - which i had not expected. i do ask for smaller meals in other restaurants and they do comply but still charge the normal price - which is absolutely fine. A smaller meal leaves room either for a starter or some cheesecake !
When we first went to Calis it was norm for a waiter to dump himself down beside us (as per Scunner's comments) which we found quite charming to begin with but it soon lost its appeal. So for us the type of service and friendly but efficient chat/service is spot on.
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Excellent post Keith and totally agree.if anybody wants to go for a nice meal with nice surroundings this is the one.the staff are very professional and just do their job.sometimes people don't want the banter and just want a bit of peace.don't get me wrong but if you engage in a chat with the staff in Bella mammas they are very nice and will chat along with you whilst keeping an eye on what's needed with other customers
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Yes that's right Charles - and if you do spend a week there you have seven breakfasts with them too so you do get to know them a bit. In fact, they'll get to know you as much as they feel you want them to. That's a bit of an art in itself.
Lovely relaxed breakfasts, we loved them next to the calm morning sea..,
(https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xft1/v/t1.0-9/12066017_10204819215820259_5899610755533315763_n.jpg?oh=922b41ae62ec263fcbcaf09c09661639&oe=56C4DBE1)
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I also agree totally regarding Bella Mamma. Christie's description "the perfect balance - friendly and efficient and the food excellent" sums it up perfectly.
And I also agree with Christie - being fawned over is not my cup of tea (there are obvious exceptions of course. By the erstwhile manageress of Letoon being one ;)).
I have to say that we have never felt rushed and that we have always found the staff in Bella Mamma to be polite and efficient.
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I've never felt rushed in a restaurant. I'm there till I am ready to leave and nobody will be able to make that time come sooner. If they try I'll make sure we stay even longer :D
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I'm there till I am ready to leave and nobody will be able to make that time come sooner.
As the staff at Bellini in Dundee can testify to. I was ready to head after the second bottle...
JF
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As you will recall I was keen to go to catch my train. That being the train that was cancelled at the last minute.
Grand day that John, let's do it again soon :)
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We ate twice in Bella Mamma's when we were in Calis 18-25 October - once for dinner and once for lunch.
Both times the meals were brilliant and our party of eight were extremely well looked-after. I find the staff friendly without being fawning and very knowledgeable. When I ordered Calzone, the waiter voluntarily offered it with any of the pizza toppings rather than the simple one on the menu, two of my friends who are particular about wine were offered great suggestion which made them very happy and the shrimp cocktail is so good I had it on both visits! We have an ongoing "Bella Mamma or Casa di Mamma - which is your favourite?" conversation every year and whilst I enjoyed our meal in the latter, I personally still think overall Bella Mamma is definitely better...
I find their "friendliness" just right personally and it is definitely my favourite restaurant in Calis itself - though there are a couple in Fethiye which I would rate equally good.
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We have known one of the staff at Casa Di Mamas for 9 years and usually go in at least twice for evening meals and about 4 lunches,,, Due to dental problems and eaing at other equally as good places we didn't get round to it until the last week of our hols. Unfortunately this waiter chose to turn his back on us and pretend not to see us on several occasions during the previous weeks.. Although we would have loved to go in we thought "no chance".. and went to Bella Mammas which was excellent.. The first week he was all over us by the way,,,
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I hate feeling rushed at any restaurant and have avoided Bellas for some time because it was always far too rushed for me. I can quite easily make a meal last a few hours. I don't appreciate the starter plate being whisked away and then being immediately replaced with the main course.
Although things were better at Casa's no matter how much I pleaded with them that I wanted to take things slowly the main courses always followed the starters far too quickly.
A trick I now employ at Casa's is to just give them the starter order, and then order the mains after a suitable interval has passed after I have finished the starter. This is the only way I have found I can slow things down to my speed.
This has worked at other restaurants as well and I will now revisit Bellas to see if the same technique can be used to get things down to a reasonable pace.
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Phil - may ask what you do during the few hours.
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The same as you and I do in the few hours spent at our Glasgow meet up & meal?
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Exactly how we always feel Phil. Mains is put in front of us, as soon as we finish, and the staff hover to see if you have finished, plates are whipped away and the next course it put down. We order coffee and that is put down and then the hovering starts. We are never relaxed and never spend long in this place. No problem with the food it is always first class, it is just the convoy system, we hate.
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The same as you and I do in the few hours spent at our Glasgow meet up & meal?
Good point :-[
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I hate rushed meals. We always ask for a break between courses however they often agree only to still rush in with the next course. So we now often do just what Phil does and only order a first course then enjoy a break before ordering the next course. Makes sense really.
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Well you can only speak as you find and we didn't feel at all rushed
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We also have never felt rushed.
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Or us, even when they've been busy.