FAMILY FARE : AVANTI : That’s Italian : There’s trendy pasta sauces and exotic pizzas. And the cozy atmosphere adds to the charm.

You would never describe Avanti as rustic. Outside it’s lit in glowing bands of neon; inside it smacks of glossy good taste, Italian style.

It is filled to the brim with trendy food decor--shelves of imported olive oil, trays of fresh pasta, garlic braids and dried pepper clusters.

The drive there is pleasantly rural--it’s on the road between Ventura and Ojai. The odd-shaped building has been squeezed onto a tiny lot between two roads, and the inside of the restaurant seems squeezed as well. The tables are so closely spaced that diners look like guests at a big Italian family party, seated together at long tables. The owners, who circulate the room like perfect hosts, refilling glasses and making sure that everybody’s happy, give the place a festive, light-hearted atmosphere.

The food is also part of the charm. Wood-fired pizza and fresh pasta are the main draw. The first thing that was put on the table was a basket of hot, fresh focaccia , drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with rosemary and set under the broiler to toast the herb.

Right away, I knew the pizza would be good. The kids were relieved to find that among trendy offerings, like basil and mozzarella or smoked salmon and cream cheese pizza, they were able to find plain pepperoni. The barbecued chicken pizza had a good crust, thick, chewy cheese and crisp red onions. The heavy smoked flavor of the chicken paired nicely with the kick of fresh cilantro.

The minestrone was full of the flavors of fresh herbs and contained big slices of vegetables, including whole spinach leaves. Steamed New Zealand mussels came with a soupy black bean sauce containing peppers and tiny beans. It made a great dipping sauce for the focaccia .

“You’ll love it, Mom,” my son informed me, tasting the scampi. “Fish is never this good.” The four fat shrimp curled up in a garlic lemon wine sauce were great.

Broiled lamb loin came sliced and cooked just the way I had ordered it. The sauce had hints of garlic and sherry, and the meat was delicious. The vegetables were perfectly plain. Fettuccine with marinara sauce was basically fine, but couldn’t compare to some of the pasta entrees. I especially liked the fresh tomato and basil sauce, and angel-hair pasta served with shrimp and melted chunks of mozzarella in a fine pesto sauce. Another good pasta came with a cream sauce containing bay scallops, oyster mushrooms, bits of fresh tomato and oregano.

Desserts at Avanti are as good as the rest of the food. The fruit tart had four kinds of sweet, perfect fruit on a bed of soft, almost tart cream and a crisp, flaky crust. The tirami su was one of the best I’ve tried.

I wish we lived on the road to Avanti. I’d be tempted to stop by for takeout every night of the week.

* THE DETAILS: Avanti, 710 Ventura Ave., Oak View; (805) 649-9001. Open Wednesday through Monday, noon to 9 p.m. Beer and wine. Parking in lot. MasterCard and Visa accepted. Dinner for two $15 to $40.