Once again, Avanti scores a direct hit – this time the kitchen won us over with a lunch special of braisedpork.jpgbraised pork (pastured pork from TLC Ranch, butchered at the restaurant), golden chanterelles and tumescent, gravity-defying gnocchi.

The pork surrendered upon impact, the chanterelles were blatantly addictive, the gnocchi were perfect and the whole thing was bathed in meat juices and topped with a few, choice bitter greens.

This is food worth getting out of bed for. More and more restaurants are using this incredibly delicious, humanely raised, organic pork raised in south Santa Cruz County by Jim Dunlop – and also available at your favorite local farmers market.