Avanti Cafe

Avanti Cafe fills a much-needed void in Orange County's culinary scene: gourmet vegatarian food with lots of flavor. Chefs Mark Cleveland and Tanya Fuqua call their mostly organic fare "handcrafted" as they certainly do take the freshest of ingredients and cook your meal to order. The tasty cold deli items, however, are ready-to-go treats for lunch, dinner and dessert. Some come to order up a "sampler" of these dishes like an Italian-esque pasta with tofu or a three-cheese macaroni dish, along with a well-chosen glass of possibly organic wine. Start with the eye-pleasing cheese platter, which includes a nicely-rounded, pungent selection of boutique cheeses, olives, dips and spreads such as the shiitake-artichoke pesto. Another good way to start is with one of Avanti's soul warming soups, which can also be bought frozen to take home. For the main course, there's crispy "pizzettes" with such ingredients as organic mozzarella, South Coast Farms basil and cold-pressed olive oil from Greece or Italy. The daily-made frittatas can be eaten cold or eaten warm for a filling entree. We are also impressed with the healthy desserts made mostly by Fuqua, who has a talent for pastry. The daily selection of pies, cakes and cookies generally tends to reflect seasonal fruits and classic American and European dishes transformed into healthy after-meal treats.