Vic and Angelo’s

Sara Liss8/1/2011

The goods: Palm Beach-based Vic and Angelo’s opened its first Miami location last week, bringing coal-fired pizza to South Beach. A collaboration between David Manero Restaurants and mega yachting entrepreneur John Rosatti, the Italian-American spot takes over the former DeVito South Beach space on Ocean Drive.

Ambience: Not much has changed from the DeVito décor. Red Venetian chandeliers, white leather chairs, brick walls and mahogany floors lends a modern Sopranos-meets-Rat Pack vibe.

The grub: Italian-American comfort food. Pizzas made with water imported from New York, huge bowls of pasta and massive steaks. Starters average $16 and most mains (which are big enough to share) top out at $24. Expect to pay upwards of $40 for a steak.

A gratis basket of herb-flecked focaccia sticks hits the table to start. From there, enjoy the burrata salad or the 11-ounce meatball in a pool of San Marzano tomato sauce. House-made pastas include pear and four cheese-stuffed Tortelloni and fat papardelle noodles bathed in a mixed-mushroom gravy. The ten thin-crust pizzas are fired at 650 to 750 degrees for a blistery crust then topped with ingredients like smoked mozzarella, sausage and truffle cream laced with wild mushrooms. Steaks include a hearty 14oz New York Strip and a Flintstones-esque 22-ounce veal chop. Fish options include roasted seabass and Snake River Trout.

If you have room for dessert, skip the massive cones of cotton candy and opt for the homemade tiramisu, a generous slice of this homey classic.

The verdict: Big portions of Italian-American comfort food aim to please in a polished, Rat Pack-esque atmosphere.