Cafe Prima Pasta

• Cuisine(s): Italian
  Hours: Sun 5pm-12am, Mon-Thu 12pm-12am, Fri-Sat 12pm-1am
  Price: $$$ $$$
• Payment Types: All Major Credit Cards
  Attire: Casual
  Features: Patio/Sidewalk Dining, Takeout, Private Party
• Serving: Dinner, Lunch
  Reservations: Accepted
  Parking: Lot Available

Description

When it opened in 1993, diners lined the sidewalk for one of the 28 seats in Gerardo Cea's family-run trattoria. Since then the Cea family has taken over the whole building -- including the sidewalk, which is now an outdoor dining patio. But the place is still almost always busy, and the welcome is still as personal as it was when the place was an eighth of its present size. And the pastas, breads, and desserts are still housemade (by Cea's mom and dad). Stand-out pasta dishes include black linguine with a choice of three sauces (zesty marinara, spicy fra diavolo, or particularly delectable creamy lobster) and, also with the latter sauce, raviolotti stuffed with crabmeat -- real crab, not surimi. But since pastas are unfailingly cooked to perfect al dente chewiness and basic ingredients like olive oil are of top quality, even the more simple fettuccine carbonara or spaghetti aglio e olio (with garlic, olive oil, and basil) are satisfying. Those with room for one of the secondi piatti should not miss vitello giardino; the breaded cutlet is topped with lemon vinaigrette-dressed mixed greens and a side of penne marinara -- or, for a supplemental charge, a substitute pasta -- and ranks among Miami's tastiest veal preparations. And leave room -- or make room -- for Mama Carla's homemade apple tart.