California Pizza Kitchen

[Chrissy13]

I love this place! I have had many of their pizzas and have not been disappointed once! However, my favorite pizza is the Tostada pizza. Even if you aren't craving a pizza they have a great selection of pastas, salads and great appetizers. Their spinach dip is awesome!

And I think it's really great they they offer to remake any pizza if you try it and end up disliking it. Which you probably wont!

If you have a CPK where you live then you are lucky because the food AND service is great

 

[4meandthem]

I like their mushroom ravioli in white sauce.

 

[Chrissy13]

I like their mushroom ravioli in white sauce.

I've had that! I really like it! In fact, I could go for some right about now.

 

[Jellen00]

Ohh really,I will try to visit that place soon....
how to treat depression
Hhhmmm...yummy!!!!!

 

[babetoo]

i have eaten at the one here. i think they are way over priced. was tasty though.

 

[Chef Munky]

i have eaten at the one here. i think they are way over priced. was tasty though.

We've been to it many times. I don't think anything on the menu was too over priced. They are much better then grabbing a burger and fries. At least you know what you order is freshly made.

They do have a cookbook. I noticed it on the menu down towards the bottom. I bought it because all the money from selling them goes to kids charities. They don't keep any royalties from it. It's a pretty good cookbook to

Munky.

 

[CookLikeJulia]

I haven't tried the "mushroom ravioli in white sauce". I guess that was their specialty, even in the other pizza restaurant (if I'm not mistaken) it's rare to find such topping.

 

[4meandthem]

I have been there at least a dozen times and the Mushroom Ravs is what I get every time.I have tried everybody's dinners and am still happier with mine.Love It!

 

[buckytom]

the only ones i've been to are in malls, so they've usually been jammed with crazed shoppers. very loud, somewhat dirty from being over run, and the service is sketchy.

however, the food was pretty good. the lettuce wraps are tasty, dw loves their salads, and while i hate to call it a pizza, the thai chicken "pizza" is my favourite.

 

[mollyanne]

Thank you for this thread, Chrissy. I have a California Pizza Kitchen close to me and I've never been. I'll definitely go now and try the mushroom ravioli, salads, and maybe the tostada pizza.

 

[Selkie]

CPK has a Thai Crunchy Salad that has 2,115 calories!!!! It's nutritionally less healthy than a Big Mac. The Avocado Egg Roll has 1,180 calories, and the Blue Crab Cakes carries a hefty 1,567 calories!

Overall, they have massive calorie and sodium counts in most of their dishes, and are listed in the top 30 Worst Fast Food Restaurants in America, according to Fitness Magazine.

 

[GB]

and are listed in the top 30 Worst Fast Food Restaurants in America, according to Fitness Magazine.

Since when is a sit down restaurant with waiter service considered fast food?

I have a friend who is a GM for CPK. Whenever we go over their house for dinner they make a delicious dinner, but the salad they serve comes from the shop. They are quite tasty even if they are not healthy.

I have not eaten at one of the restaurants in a number of years, but I did enjoy it when I went. They had very interesting toppings for their pizzas that you would not find many other places. There was one that had thin sliced potatoes on top that was really good. It sounded odd on paper, but really worked quite well in practice.

 

[Selkie]

OK, others refer to it as "casual dining", but offering a personal pan pizza that has 1,680 calories & 3,300 mg. of salt, and their bowl of Pesto Penne Pasta carries twice the recommended amount of saturated fat at 49 grams. 1,350 calories and 1,920 mg. of salt seems a bit over the top for a soup bowl sized portion of pasta.

It's things like this that motivate me to cook at home as often as practical.

And GB, my son is the manager of a Denny's restaurant, and I give him a hard time about their food as well, so I don't want you to think I'm picking on you or your friend!

 

[snickerdoodle]

Wish we had one nearby. This is the same company that does the frozen pizzas too, right? I've bought several of the frozen pizzas and even they are good... for frozen pizzas anyway. I like the unique flavor combinations.

 

[GB]

Oh I don't think you are picking on anyone Selkie

I just don't think Fitness Magazines classification of CPK being fast food is really accurate, not that it matters. When I think of fast food I think of places where you order at the counter and they have the menu up on the wall. They often times have a drive through as well. Or if they do not have a drive through then the food is prepared quick enough that it is not a timing reason that they do not have one.

 

[mollyanne]

awww, c'mon Selkie.
Live a little

 

[Selkie]

 

[mollyanne]

Yesterday, I "dined" at the California Pizza Kitchen for the first time...just to irritate Selkie .
I found the atmosphere to be casual, clean, and comfortable.
Our waitress couldn't have been more pleasant and professional.

In honor of Selkie , I ordered the most caloric entree on the menu...the Fresh Pear & Gorgonzola Pizza with Carmalized Onions and Roasted Hazelnuts. Piled high right across the middle of the pizza was a delicious dark green leafed salad with creamy gorgonzola dressing and chunks of blue cheese sprinkled around on it.

It was very very tasty although it took me a little while to warm up to the hazelnut flavor used in this way. I think I would have preferred a less flavorful nut like pine nuts or almonds. I liked the idea of spreading the fresh salad all over the top of the pizza. The portion was too large for one person so I shared a portion. I left the crust's edge....the crust could have stood to be a little crisper but it wasn't bad.

All in all... 2 thumbs up (but then I had to power walk it off for the rest of the day)

 

[Selkie]

I'm glad that you enjoyed it! Although I doubt that even a long power walk would put a dent in working off the calories you indulged in!

While you were abusing yourself, I had a New York Strip Steak (medium rare, 2" thick), a salad with low fat Ranch dressing, and 3 oz. of seedless red grapes for dessert. Combined... less than 400 calories.

I'm getting married in Oct. of 2011, and I WILL lose a significant amount of weight between now and then!

I really am glad you had a good time!

 

[CookLikeJulia]

Does anyone know what's the ingredients for the mushroom ravioli? Thanks in advance!!!