Avanti Cafe- costa mesa is on a roll

since i just mentioned avanti cafe i figured i needed to let you in on the secret. it is tucked away in a plaza in costa mesa and serves vegetarian, organic food. i heard about it through the grapevine and was surprised when i arrived that it was such a tiny establishment. we started with the extra virgin roasted garlic ($1.75) served with fresh baked bread. the garlic was wonderful and the bread was so pure. the whole spot has a very european vibe, with the fresh baked breads, a wide cheese selection, and an interesting wine assortment. we also ordered a pitcher of margarita maxima- an agave nectar and citrus blend. perhaps one of the better margaritas ever...not overly sweet and so smooth. for my entree i had the gourmet cheese, olive, and hearth bread salad ($7.75). it was served with candied walnuts, apple, strawberries, ripe tomatoes, brie, goat, pecorino romano, and a homemade red wine dressing...so amazing. the dressing was phenomenal (i wish i had the recipe) and the cheeses were so un-americanized. they were the real deal- creamy, buttery, silky, and rich for the brie and goat and firm, sharp, and powerful for the pecorino. my husband ordered a sampler of their daily deli specials ($8.75)- two types of pasta which were both better than he expected. i really could eat at avanti weekly...next time i may just order a big glass of wine and the cheese, olive, and bread sampler. they had a tamale that looked great too- maybe i will have to go back twice this week!