Checking Out the Seasonally Inspired Menu at California Pizza Kitchen

When I hear the name California Pizza Kitchen (CPK), I think of pizza, pasta & that delicious bread basket. Recently I sampled foods from their new seasonally inspired menu & I was delighted to learn that they now offer so much more!

As I was walking to my booth, the restaurant manager pointed out that the Northridge restaurant recently had a “refresh” in their decor. New wood flooring was installed that is made up of sustainable wood. The walls feature photos & artwork from local artists.

My mom & I both ordered the Strawberry Mango Cooler. This drink is SO refreshing & contains fresh strawberries, Fresca & mango juices. Yum!

Next up was the California Fields Salad. The salad has fresh watermelon, strawberries, field greens, feta cheese & pistachios. It tastes so good & looks so pretty, don’t you think?!

I was about two bites into my salad when our server came by with appetizers. All I can say is “holy lobster flatbread!” The flatbread by far was one of my favorite items that I ate that day. The base is a parmesan toast with red onion & fresh lobster. I could have easily eaten the entire plate, but it wouldn’t have been fair to not share with my mom.

We also had a soup tasting (note that these were sample sizes). The soup on the left (see photo above) is the Baked Potato Soup. My mom liked that one the best. I preferred the Farmers Market Soup on the right, which is a vegetarian soup made with roasted squash. The soups were lovely & hit the spot, but man oh man, that lobster flatbread! I know lobster is seasonal, so that flatbread may or may not be listed on the menu by the time this blog post goes live. However if it is available, GET IT!!

We were just finishing up our soups when out came our entrees. The first entree is the hearth-roasted halibut. The fish was seasoned just right with salt, butter & pepper. The halibut came with a side of grilled asparagus & butternut squash farro. This was actually my first time eating farro. It kind of reminded me of quinoa, but bigger in size. It’s a grain & has a nutty flavor or at least the one at CPK had that texture/feel to it. I personally like how the farro tasted but I can see that it might not be for everyone.

I saved the second entree for last because it was my favorite of the two. This Roasted Garlic Chicken with Seasonal Vegetables was the bomb!! Ok, I don’t think anyone actually says that phrase anymore, but I had to use it because this dish was SO delicious. The chicken was juicy & moist (not dry at all, which I hate). The sauce is the best part & if they sold a bottle of it at the store, I would buy it. I asked the manager what was in it & she said it was a combination of soy sauce, teriyaki, wine & some other yummy goodness that can’t be revealed. The chicken was served with tricolored carrots, potatoes & cauliflower. It is such a flavorful dish & I can’t say enough about it.

Lastly, our server convinced us to try the Butter Cake with vanilla ice cream & whipped cream that is made in-house. The cake is served warm & when paired with the cold ice cream, it just makes for a fantastic finish to a wonderful meal!

The “Next Chapter” menu was unveiled in certain California Pizza Kitchen locations (including Studio City & Northridge) in early Spring. Have you tried it yet? If so, what was your favorite dish?

Disclosure: No monetary compensation was received for this post I attended a complimentary media tasting which helped facilitate this review. All images & opinions are 100% my own.