La Gamba, meaning “the shrimp” in Spanish, is a jewel in the heart of Coconut Grove that is serving classic Spanish fare with a focus on fresh seafood flown in from the Mediterranean.
The restaurant is small, with sage walls hung with prints of coral, starfish and crabs and rustic wood-framed mirrors and a glassed-in open kitchen where you can watch chef Agusti Comabella at the stove turning out tapas, Catalan-style spinach sautéed with raisins and pine nuts, plus soups, fish, meats and paella.
Owner Maria Elena Otero is Venezuelan of Spanish descent (her mother is from Asturias, and her father is from Leon), and her family published El National newspaper in Caracas. She lived in Barcelona for 10 years and took cooking classes, as well as attended Le Cordon Bleu in Paris.
Source: www.miami.com
