Osteria Del Teatro is a MUST

You find perfection when you find Osteria del Teatro at the corner of Washington and 3^rd in South Beach. Miami has a gazillion restaurants, but Osteria is THE BEST.

Last night was not my first time dining here and it sure won’t be my last. The large menu pulls you in, the service and food in what lingers in your mind. Osteria del Teatro knows northern Italian food like no other restaurant that I have ever been to. Over the years I have tried many of their dishes and they are all sublime. Seasonings are subtle which keeps the pasta dishes light, yet the appetizer I had (layered Maine lobster, mango, arugula and avocado) had a bright bold dressing. Delicious and often a special of the day.

I ordered (can’t remember the Italian name) pappardelle pasta sautéed with crabmeat in a light vodka sauce, and my hubby had the Sea Bass. We ate as umms came with every bite. You know, that involuntary noise that slips from your throat as good food passes it. Absolute perfection.

The maître de, Gilbert, was very welcoming and gave us a nice window table. I am an avid people watcher and this restaurant is the perfect spot to see the most unique collection of people walking the streets of South Beach. He chatted with us as a waiter brought our menus and water. Our server, Carlos, who has been there for over 25 years was attentive and friendly. Gilbert recommended a wine for Jim and stopped by the table several times. As people would come in, Gilbert remembered the names of many of them, and I half expected to see someone famous come in (Billy Joel is a frequent guest, as is the mayor), but it wasn’t to be.

I can't give Osteria anything but a five-star rating. If you are in South Beach you should definitely should give this gem a try. Off season you might not need a reservation if you dine early, but you should get one just in case. There is valet parking right in the front.

Website: www.osteriadelteatro.miami/

Sole' Cafe in Jupiter

We had been on the beach  all day and by the time we got home, we were starving.Jim had picked up a menu from the Sole' Cafe a few days ago and it looked like it was time to use it. We both wanted pizza,but there were so many yummy listings on the menu it was difficult to choose just one.

Their menu choices include the usual pepperoni, sausage or plain cheese, but also grilled veggie pizza, spinach and artichoke, greek, and portobello pizzas. Then it gets real interesting with a BBQ Chicken pizza, Potato Chicken pie, Shrimp Pesto pizza, Sole' pizza (grilled eggplant, mozzarella, fresh spinach, diced tomatoes, red onion, sliced mushrooms, gorgonzola and their own balsamic dressing) and the one we chose was their Tostada Pizza, which was a good meld of tastes and texture. The crust was topped with black bean spread, cheddar and mozzarella, then a mixture of shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, red onions, black olives topped with ranch dressing. This was a take-out order and I was wondering if the items that should be cold (lettuce and tomatoes).

When I went to pick it up, I was instantly greeted by a friendly woman who guessed correctly I was there for pizza takeout. The atmosphere was great, the food smells were incredible and the air conditioning felt wonderful on such a hot day. My pizza came out with a small bag on top, which I assumed correctly was the lettuce mixture.

There was nothing dainty about the way we dove into that pizza. It was absolutely delicious and the hot/cold contrasts made this pizza a real winner.

They also homemade soups, salads, sandwiches and roll-ups, and serve beer, wine, soda, juice and water. There is seating inside as well as outside.

Sole' Cafe is located at Bluff Square Shoppes, 4300 S. US Highway 1 in Jupiter, Florida. Their phone number is 561-626-0575.

Cabo Flats is a Winner!

I am just loving spending the winter in Jupiter Florida. I honestly cannot come up with a bad thing about this lovely city. We've eaten at a number of restaurants here and I have to say Cabo Flats rocks!

For one thing, it's very easy to find as it is right on Route 1 and has plenty of parking.  We went for lunch and were very pleasantly surprised with the decor, the service and especially the food. There is a very cool looking circle of sofas on a covered veranda with a great fire feature in the center. That would be a great spot to mingle with friends and discover a few of their long list of Tequilas available.

I ordered the sizzling beef fajitas and my husband ordered a beef burrito which was good but needed a bit more beef. My fajitas were outstanding and I was sad that I couldn't eat it all. If I had been able to eat it all, I probably would have burned my tongue on the sizzling platter.

It was slightly pricey, but it was well worth it. We are here for three more weeks and chances are, I'm going to have to go try something else to see it the whole menu is good. Go find out for yourself and I believe you'll find out Cabo Flats is indeed a winner.