My visits to Davanti usually start with a vasi (small mason jars of spreads) of ricotta cheese with honeycomb served with grilled pugliese bread or the burrata with sea salt and extra virgin olive oil, a soft creamy cheese that melts in your mouth.

The menu offers a variety of formaggi and salummi, antipasti, salads, pizzas, pastas and entrée dishes. I am a big anchovy fan and the white anchovies served with celery, pecorino and leccini olives are an excellent antipasti for a starter.

One of the popular salads on the menu is the heirloom tomato salad.

It is served in a bed of watermelon slices topped with avocado and drizzled with basil mint vinaigrette. The flavors of the three main ingredients combined are refreshing; it's a perfect summer salad. The salad that is always a hit with my dining friends is the roasted cauliflower with a green olive tapenade and piquillo peppers in lemon vinaigrette.

It's a simple dish but it has its punch. The shaved hearts of palm insalata is unseasoned and acid; the lemon in it dominates this plate.

Compared with the other salads on the menu this one would be my least favorite.

The dish that takes the standing ovation, "the star of the show" is the mascarpone polenta with the ragu of the day. It's one of the best polenta's I've ever had. The server presents it to the table pouring out the polenta directly from the pan serving it on a wooden board and topping it with freshly made ragu sauce. You have the option to order the small or large polenta. The large plate is generously portioned.

I recommend the large polenta for three or more people.

The Polpo con Rafano, is always a must.

It's composed of seared octopus with fingerling potato salad, marcona almonds, finocchiona (Tuscan fennel salami) and fresh horseradish aioli. It's definitely one of my favorite small plates (I don't like to share this one).

The Pasta and Pizza plates are perfect for sharing. Signature pastas include the Cacio e Pepe, the Risotto Carbonara and the Raviolo San Domenico, a giant raviolo filled with ricotta, egg and spinach. I don't consider the raviolo an equally shareable plate. Pizzas are popular here but don't expect this restaurant to be a pizza parlor, the variety is minimum.

I've tried them all and a few of my favorites are Pizza con Salsiccia e Rappini; topped with italian sausage, broccoli rabbe, chile oil, mozzarella cheese and tomato, it has some good spice in it. I highly recommend the Pizza con Funghi and Taleggio; it's topped with mushrooms, braised leeks and truffle oil.

And, I can't end my meal without dessert. I always save room for it. The goat cheesecake with caramel sauce is worth it.

If you visit Davanti on your birthday you get a nutella with banana grilled sandwich-AMAZING- it's not on the menu.

Ask for it.

Del Mar Heights siblings Mia Francesca and Davanti Enoteca-Carmel Valley are now open.

Recommended: Polenta, polpo con rafano, truffle egg toast, pasta cacio e pepe, focaccia di recco,

pizza con salsiccia e rappini, branzino, bistecca con ravanelli e funghi, roasted cauliflower,

brunch Saturday's and Sunday's, bloody mary bar on brunch time.