California Pizza Kitchen

I'm not a fan of chain restaurants, but if I had to make another
trip to California Pizza Kitchen I wouldn't complain. It's cheerful
lemon yellow walls play host to whimsical paintings of fruits and
vegetables painted on pizza boxes. I never tire of trying to decide
which are my favorites. It's modern yet simple, much like the
menu. Sesame Ginger Dumplings are a good start, but the
Focaccia with Checca was excellent & beyond! Italian style herb
onion pizza bread is served alongside a mixture of chopped
tomatoes, basil, garlic and extra virgin olive oil. The Tuscan
Hummus is just as good with white beans pureed with sesame,
garlic, lemon and spices, garnished with the Checca mixture and
served with soft pizza pita bread, fantastic! Both of these are
probably our most favorite things here thus far. Their Original
BBQ Chicken Pizza is what made them famous, but they have over
25 other unusual combinations. Flame-grilled shrimp, onion,
mozzarella, and a white wine garlic-shallot sauce tops Grilled
Garlic Shrimp Pizza while a Pastrami Reuben Pizza with sliced deli-
style pastrami, Thousand Island dressing, sauerkraut, Swiss and
mozzarella cheeses and caraway seeds is a funky alternative to
the same old sandwich. Some day I hope to have tried them all.
I've only the, much missed, Philly Cheese Steak Pizza, which is no
longer on the menu and the BLT Pizza with smoked bacon,
tomatoes and cheeses baked and finally topped with a chilled
shredded iceberg lettuce and mayonnaise combination under my
belt. Salads are just as innovative with over 10 to choose from. I
preferred the BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad with chopped lettuce,
black beans, sweet corn, jicama, cilantro, basil, crispy fried corn
tortillas strips and jack cheese all tossed in a Garden Herb Ranch
Dressing and topped with chunks of barbecue basted chicken
breast, sliced tomatoes & scallions to the Smoked Bacon &
Gorgonzola Chopped Salad with jicama, diced tomatoes, a Garden
Herb Dressing and buttermilk battered onion rings. Though the
Grilled Chicken Caesar Sandwich was tasty, the Grilled Vegetable
Sandwich was even better, with grilled Portobello mushrooms,
grilled red and yellow bell peppers tucked into homemade focaccia
with melted Fontina and mozzarella cheeses, baby greens, sliced
Roma tomatoes and a homemade sun-dried aioli. A cup of creamy
Potato Leek Soup pairs perfectly with this one. I haven't got a feel
for their pastas yet, unimpressed with my only experience, the
spicy Kung Pao Spaghetti with peanuts, garlic, scallions and whole
dried chiles and a choice of chicken or shrimp. A meal here always
seems to leave me so light on my feet that I've passed on their
desserts. Tiramisu with sweet Italian cream cheese and Marsala
custard is layered with espresso and rum laced lady fingers and
garnished with shaved bittersweet chocolate and Key Lime Pie
made with fresh Florida Key limes in a graham cracker crust
makes me now look back with regret.

Prices are reasonable; a whole order of the BBQ Chicken Chopped
Salad is $9.99 for a whole order or $5.99 for a half order, the
Grilled Vegetable Sandwich was $7.89, Focaccia Checca and
Tuscan Hummus is amazingly only $4.79, Potato Leek Soup is 2.99
a cup or 4.99 for a bowl and Kids meals are $4.99.

Located at 73-080 El Paseo in Palm Desert or 129 N. Palm Canyon
Drive in Palm Springs

(760) 322-6075

Website: www.californiapizzakitchen.com