{"id":4727,"date":"2016-01-24T01:39:53","date_gmt":"2016-01-24T09:39:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/?p=4727"},"modified":"2016-02-10T20:41:27","modified_gmt":"2016-02-11T04:41:27","slug":"californiapizzakitchen-next-chapter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/californiapizzakitchen-next-chapter\/","title":{"rendered":"CPK’s Next Chapter – new menu items, a new look, and more"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tonight, my family and I dined at California Pizza Kitchen (CPK)<\/strong><\/a> in Marina Del Rey<\/strong><\/a> and experienced their “Next Chapter,” which includes new food and cocktail items and a contemporary, new look.<\/p>\n

My fondest and earliest memories of CPK<\/strong><\/a> date back to my high school and college years. I enjoyed eating salad for the first time at CPK<\/strong><\/a>. I despised eating vegetables when I was a kid. However, there was something about the Chinese Chicken Salad at California Pizza Kitchen that was just so darned good, it turned me on to salad and vegetables. Thankfully, it was my foray into eating healthier.<\/p>\n

As I got older, I started exploring new restaurants and cuisines, but California Pizza Kitchen remained my “go-to” for reliable favorites (BBQ chicken pizza, Chinese Chicken Salad). Now that I’m a parent, if a restaurant is kid-friendly,\u00a0<\/em>has tasty, fresh food, and free parking, it will be on my list. CPK<\/strong><\/a>‘s Next Chapter at Marina Del Rey fulfills those requirements and <\/strong>as an added bonus, has an ambiance I love – rustic, wood tables and floors, comfortable seating, and a mix of traditional and modern decor.<\/p>\n

I could definitely taste the difference in the quality and flavor of the food and will definitely return with my family.<\/p>\n

Here is what we experienced:<\/p>\n

Ambiance<\/h2>\n

\"CPK_MDR_ambiance\"<\/a>CPK Marina del Rey is one of a handful of CPK restaurants currently debuting the “Next Chapter.” The completely redesigned look is a modern, rustic vibe that focuses on sustainable materials. The floors are made of oak, the tabletops and chairs are made from reclaimed wood, the countertops are made of stone, and the fabric on the seating and decor are made of recycled materials. We sat inside, but if it was a little warmer, we would choose to sit outside, where they have heat lamps in their beautiful outdoor patio.<\/p>\n

\"CPK_MDR_interior\"<\/a>One of the things I like best about this location is the open kitchen. I’m a huge fan of cooking shows, so I like seeing food prepared, and watching the rhythm of the kitchen staff. Between the bartenders mixing craft cocktails to the chefs at the stations, to the prompt and attentive staff, it’s easy to forget there are also large screen televisions in sight! This CPK<\/strong><\/a> has decor which is unique to their Marina Del Rey location – artwork celebrating the neighborhood, and a natural herb garden too!<\/p>\n

Crayons AND Dough to entertain kids<\/h2>\n

\"CPK_MDR_dough\"<\/a>My daughter loved playing with the dough! At first she didn’t understand why it was there, but once she got started, she wouldn’t put it down (at least, not until the food arrived)! It entertained her so much, my husband and I actually had uninterrupted conversation!<\/p>\n

\"CPK_MDR_kidsmenu\"<\/a>This is the kids’ menu. We didn’t order anything from it for my daughter, because she usually eats what we eat, but the options look really good. One of the funny things my husband pointed out to me was the CPK Kid’s salad is topped with Goldfish crackers! Very cute and a good idea I’ll have to steal for our meals at home.<\/p>\n

Craft Cocktails<\/h2>\n

\"CPK_MDR_margarita\"<\/a>It’s Saturday night, and mommy wants a drink! It’s nice to have choices, and on CPK’s expanded menu, there are a lot of options. I opted for the Citrus Adobo Margarita. It was exactly what I was looking for – something sweet, sour, and salty!<\/p>\n

CPK\u2019s new hand-crafted cocktails feature premium alcohols with fresh fruit purees and herbs. New offerings include the California Roots, made with fresh avocado, shaken smooth with Svedka vodka, mint and agave sour, with a fennel salt rim; and the Blueberry Ginger Smash, with fresh muddled blueberries, lime and cranberry with Jack Daniel\u2019s Tennessee Whiskey and Domaine de Canton Ginger.<\/p>\n

\"CPK_MDR_drink\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Appetizer (aka- Dinner for my toddler)<\/h2>\n

\"CPK_MDR_flatbread\"<\/a>One of my daughter’s favorite things to eat is a ham and cheese omelet, so we ordered the Smoked Ham and Swiss Flatbread, one of their new menu items. It is topped with Emmanteler and goat cheese, caramelized onions and smashed garlic croutons. My husband and I each had a slice, and my daughter (who had no appetite yesterday) ate the other two slices.<\/p>\n

Seasonal Menu<\/h2>\n

There is an insert in each of the menus that changes with the season. This is what is in season right now:<\/p>\n

\"CPK_MDR_seasonal\"<\/a>The staff raved about the Sunny Side Up Bacon + Potato Pizza<\/strong> so we had to order it. It did not disappoint. I’m a big fan of eggs on anything, so this pizza was as good as it sounds and lived up to the hype. The quality and creativity is consistent with other “trendy” pizza joints around town, and the flavors were on point. I like this new side of CPK!<\/p>\n

\"CPK_MDR_pizza\"<\/a><\/p>\n

New Menu Items<\/h2>\n

New on the entree menu are the Hearth Roasted Halibut<\/strong> and the Fire Grilled Ribeye<\/strong>. It was difficult to choose, but we opted for the halibut because it’s not something I normally cook, and because it comes with asparagus (a vegetable my daughter loves).<\/p>\n

\"CPK_MDR_halibut\"<\/a>I’m so glad we ordered the halibut, because much to my surprise, my daughter really liked it. I thought she was going to eat the pizza, but she kept asking for “more fish.” I’m not going to complain about that! Needless to say, getting the halibut was a good decision. Oh, yeah, and they cook it on a cedar plank so that’s another good reason for getting it. Cedar plank cooking is not in my repertoire of kitchen skills I have at home, so I like to leave it to the experts \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

Dessert<\/h2>\n

I don’t think a meal is complete without dessert. Especially when it involves ice cream. We ordered the Butter Cake with Ice Cream<\/strong> and the Chocolate Souffle with Ice Cream<\/strong>. Both were rich and delectable. The butter cake has these sugar crystals that made the bites deliciously crunchy. The chocolate souffle cake replaced the molten lava cake on the menu. It’s lighter and just as delicious!<\/p>\n

\"CPK_MDR_dessert\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Celebrate the 25th Anniversary of CPK and the Next Chapter at CPK Marina Del Rey<\/h2>\n

Special events and activities include:<\/p>\n