AVANTI CAFE [
16563 Brookhurst St., Fountain Valley, CA 92708 (714) 418-0658. www.aulac.com
Avanti Café in Costa Mesa has been open for six years and operating by the motto “Eat Well, Live Well,” which seems to be working. I learned right away that I had been missing out on this spot for years. Their worldly influenced menu is entirely vegan vegetarian. They pride themselves on interesting tastes and spices to keep their food fun. Their goal is to turn people onto healthy food and help our community realize that making good choices for your body is easy and delicious. They focus on the seasonality of foods, adapting their dishes and specials to the freshest produce during each season. By shopping locally, they are able to provide their customers with fresh and delicious dishes year round. Working with South Coast Farms in San Juan Capistrano makes it easy for Avanti to stay dedicated to their message of healthy local eating. It also gives them the opportunity to make almost everything in house, from their pizza dough to their ketchup. “It’s certainly more fun than opening a bag,” says Trisha, part owner and chef of Avanti café who treated me with the warmth of an old friend during my visit. In addition to their beautiful menu, Avanti makes and sells their own sauces, spices, and mustards so that you can bring some of their flavors into your own home. While the classic tune “Que Sera Sera” hummed softly through the speakers, I felt like I was enjoying lunch in small café somewhere overseas. Trisha served me a personally-sized pizza toasted to perfection with asparagus, red peppers, and topped with a fried egg. I was in heaven, and quite pleased to find that their portions are reasonable and perfect. The pizza was followed by Trisha’s personal favorite, the Portobello Stack. The mushroom was sliced and stuffed
BANZAI BOWLS [
with garlic-mashed potatoes, falafel flavored eggplant, and a vegetable blend that changes slightly with the seasons, and then topped with a homemade nut cheese. It was accompanied by lime coleslaw and oven roasted cherry tomatoes that popped in the mouth and were full of warm, delicious flavors. The Portobello stack is a vegan dish that has literally revolutionized my idea of eating vegan entirely. I wish I had saved room for dessert because they had a delightful selection, and after trying the cookies that Trisha sent home with me, I know I will the next time it is offered. Avanti will be undergoing a brief aesthetic remodel in the month of March that will include a new bar with a few beers on tap to add to their local beer and wine selection. The project has been duly influenced by many of the establishment’s regular customers, who were given the chance in early spring to voice their opinion on color swatches, and even which dishes to keep on the revamped menu. The new menu will retain the values, message, and some of the classic dishes that have made Avanti a Costa Mesa gem. Stop in sometime for a quick bite or a long luxurious meal, and if your mind isn’t made up already in terms of what to order, they will make it your decision for you. My Pick: The Portobello Stack. What else?
488 E 17th St Ste 107, Costa Mesa, CA 92627 (949) 722-8329
Banzai Bowls is just around the corner from my house and since the day they opened in September of 2009, it has been one of my favorite things in life to walk there, enjoy a bowl, and walk home with a full belly and a mellow smile. The place is owned and operated by Joe and Tiana Bard, who put their hearts and souls into opening their stores. Their bowls are a favorite among students, police officers, Moms and Dads and surfers across Orange County. They are the “original acai café” and have turned something they love into a thriving business. For years they made acai bowls in their home for friends and family, but it was only after an inspirational camping trip in northern California that the dream stared to take shape. Their second store, located on PCH in Laguna Beach,was opened just one year after their Costa Mesa location debuted. Banzai Bowls is the epitome of a locals spot, and they work hard to be a part of the community by supporting other local businesses, sponsoring surfers and skaters, and remaining environmentally conscious. The place is filled with a homey vibe that invites you to have a bite and hang out awhile.
and then topped with fresh fruit, dried coconut, and organic hemp granola. They never use ice, sherbet, yogurt, or added sugar. They cut no corners when it comes to freshness. You cannot buy frozen, organic bananas, so every employee at every Banzai location cuts and freezes fresh bananas nightly for the next day’s operation. They go through product so quickly that nothing sits for more than a day.
Banzai Bowls are delicious and healthy. They are made from Sambazon Acai smoothie packets, frozen and fresh fruit, organic juices, soymilk, almond milk,
My Pick: The Diamond Head Bowl with extra blueberries.
While I sat outside Banzai on a fresh spring morning and spoke with Joe and Tiana, I was amazed by how involved they are with their local customers. They are truly living and breathing everything abouttheir philosophy behind the business. Come by and be a part of their journey.
1890 Newport Blvd., Costa Mesa, CA 92627 www.mothersmarket.com (949) 631-4741
MOTHER’S MARKET AND KITCHEN [ Some of my best memories as a child growing up in Costa Mesa are of eating in the small restaurant tucked away in Mother’s Market on 17th Street under those large paintings of the rainforest. I still eat at Mother’s quite frequently, but was in the mood to find out more. Mother’s is all about choices. They will never tell you what you should be eating, and they will never tell you what not to eat. They operate under “a philosophy of choices,” positive choices for any type of diet. Mother’s Kitchen opened their first store in 1978 on 17th Street in Costa Mesa. They have since grown to six locations; Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Laguna Woods, Santa Ana, Anaheim Hills, and will make it seven when Brea opens in the summer. They offer a full service market, makeup and vitamin section, juice bar, deli, salad bar, hot bar, and a full service restaurant in every location (Anaheim and Santa Ana are exceptions). In every aspect of their operation they offer you choices. They offer an incredibly wide selection of vitamins, and while they may help you find what you need, they will never tell what to buy. Their grocery stores do not sell beef or pork but they do offer fresh seafood and chicken. They will help steer you in a healthy direction by offering products that benefit your life and well being. The restaurants are open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The kitchen has the same philosophy in regard to choice. They are vegetarian conscious and they do
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not crosscontaminate. They use mostly tofu as a meat substitute in addition to tempeh, a soy based alternative, and a few others. You can however still order the ever popular tuna sandwich that is sold in the deli. They offer gluten free options, but the kitchen is not a gluten free. They make 90% of everything in house and use organic products as often as possible. The original Mother’s moved in June 2010 to the corner of 19th Street and Newport Boulevard, giving that corner of Costa Mesa an incredible makeover. The store is twice the size of the original and is open, beautiful, bright, and spacious. My Pick: Mother’s Ice Tea (you must try this), an order of raw hummus, and a springtime salad served with Tahini dressing.