Osteria del Teatro

It doesn't get much better than Osteria del Teatro on South Beach (1443 Washington Ave)... right next to Cameo. This is Amanda's and my favorite restaurant on the beach. The food is always delicious and the service is impeccable. Make sure you get to know the Maitre D, Gilbert Gonzalez. He will always make sure that you have a wonderful experience at Osterio... and will always say hi even when you're just walking by. Yes, you will have multiple servers taking care of your every need, but the ambiance and mood is far from stuffy. The staff is very friendly and will make you feel right at home. I always enjoy kidding around with Gilbert. His somewhat twisted sense of humor certainly helps to set the mood. Amanda and I try to get there a bit early (around 6:30'ish) and during the week to avoid the dinner rush. Otherwise, reservations are encouraged. Amanda and I had dinner there last night and it was excellent as usual. We started with an order Polenta al Funghetto (wild mushrooms over polenta). Highly recommended! Gilbert also brought us a taste of freshly sautéed Porcini Mushrooms. Delicious! Amanda had one of the specials, a pasta dish with crabmeat and pink vodka sauce. It was quite yummy. I had the grilled jumbo shrimp served scampi style. It is probably my favorite dish... not too garlicky. Amanda's favorite dish is normally the veal stuffed ravioli. The tiramisu is as decadent as it comes. As long as you don't order drinks, you can split an appetizer (and dessert) and have a very nice dinner for two for around $100.