Pane & Vino

The brawny pastaiolo's presence in the window display of Pane & Vino serves two purposes: to draw in mesmerized passersby and to assure customers that the South Beach restaurant isn't kidding about pastas being homemade. Although several tables are set up outside, it's best to avoid the uncomfortable chairs and noise of Washington Avenue and book a seat inside. The menu concentrates on starters and the restaurant's specialty — pastas. Salmon, rib eye, tuna, and chicken are the only secondi options, and hardly anyone orders them. Patrons are more interested in the spaghetti alla ruota, and rightfully so. The pasta arrives on a trolley next to a giant wheel of hollowed-out Parmigiano-Reggiano imported from Italy. The sauce is so velvety and rich it's easy to think heavy cream is involved — but the only dairy product in the recipe is Parmigiano. An Italian restaurant cannot reach greatness without having the basics perfected, and Pane & Vino's spaghetti al pomodoro is arguably the best in town.