Food Review: California Pizza Kitchen

Greek pizza.

It’s unusual for a new Mumbai restaurant to turn away patrons on the night of its launch. But staff at California Pizza Kitchen had to do just that. Over the last month-and-a-half, the popular American casual dining chain generated so much buzz on social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter, that a capacity crowd was all but guaranteed when they finally opened.

The India franchisees of Hard Rock Cafe have brought CPK to our city, the first outpost of which is located on the premises of a glass-walled office building in the Bandra-Kurla Complex. We went by for lunch and found the place packed with suits from nearby offices, a stark contrast from the families and tourists one generally finds crammed into the booths at CPK outlets in America. In Mumbai, the 4,000 sq. ft. restaurant is done up in dark wood and low-hung geometric lamps with a cheerful, yellow-tiled show kitchen fitted with a hearth oven. The diner can seat a total of 150 people indoors and outdoors, but its alfresco section is purely decorative until the monsoon abates.

We ordered a Thai crunch salad to whet our appetites while our pizzas were being cooked. The salad was doused in a sweet and spicy Thai peanut dressing and heaped with cabbage, crispy flat noodles, rice sticks and peanuts, delivering on its promise of crunch. Those who have dined at the chain abroad will find on the menu many of CPK’s signature pizza preparations like the Jamaican jerk chicken, the Thai chicken, the Greek pizza, the white pizza and the meat cravers pizza. First, we tried the Original BBQ chicken pizza, which CPK claims to have invented in 1985. The pieces of chicken were lightly licked with smoke and paired well with the blend of Gouda and mozzarella, and sweet barbecue sauce. Next, we tasted the Greek pizza, topped with spiced cottage cheese and a chilled Greek salad of cucumbers, tomato and kalamata olives. A light drizzling of tzatziki (a Greek yoghurt and herb dip) was the best feature of this crispy, biscuit-like pizza.

Our only complaint with CPK’s gourmet pies was that while the toppings were delicious, there wasn’t enough of them. On the off chance that you don’t fancy a pizza, the menu also has pastas and sandwiches. Of the desserts, the three-tier red velvet cake that comes smeared with a creamy vanilla bean cheesecake frosting, scored on both visual appeal and taste. As one of the very few stand-alone restaurants in BKC, CPK and its brand of no-fuss, quick service food is likely to monopolise office crowds until another chain enters the fray. Located strategically as it is at the entrance of BKC, it might just succeed in attracting weekend crowds, who’ve had their fill of Ray’s Cafe & Pizzeria and Mia Cucina.

A meal for two costs approximately Rs 1,500. All reviews are conducted anonymously.

LocationCalifornia Pizza Kitchen
3, North Avenue
Maker Maxity
Bandra Kurla Complex
Bandra (East)

Phone6558 8888

HoursMonday to Sunday, noon to 1am

Websitewww.cpk.com