This seafood restaurant from Ecuador just opened its first U.S. spot in Coral Gables

In Ecuador, diners like their crab legs fat and juicy.

Diners in Miami like that, too (who doesn’t?). Which makes the arrival of La Pata Gorda in the U.S. worth noting.

The restaurant from Ecuador — the name literally means “the fat leg” — has opened its first restaurant in the United States on Miracle Mile in Coral Gables next to Benihana.

Owner Josué Sanchez, a native of Guayaquil, Ecuador, said he was excited about bringing the brand to South Florida.

“We believe that food is a celebration of culture, tradition and community,” he said in a statement. “We are excited to share the flavors and stories of Ecuador with a new audience, inviting them to experience the warmth and vibrancy of our cuisine.”

At the nine locations across Ecuador and the new spot in the Gables, that cuisine focuses on seafood, particularly crab.

The menu includes items like crab croquettes with Ecuadorian mangrove crab meat served with sweet and spicy plantain and red pepper aioli and the traditional dish chopsué, which involves crab meat served with white or toasted rice served with fried plantains.

You can also order ceviches that range in price from $22 to $26, as well as shrimp dishes and oysters and other fruits of the sea. There’s also a cocktail menu and Latin and lounge music, with live DJs on select dates.

La Pata Gorda

Where: 232 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables

Hours: Noon-10 p.m. Monday-Saturday; noon-8 p.m. Sunday

More information: lapatagorda.com or 786-963-8171