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California Pizza Kitchen: A Nice Slice At Gateway | |
| By Anne Wilson -- Special To The Tribune | 12/21/2001 | |
| People like to grumble about the "Californication" of Utah, but when it comes to food, no one is whining. Maybe it is because their mouths are full. Case in point: California Pizza Kitchen, a good-sized restaurant chain (100 outlets, most in California) that opened recently in Salt Lake City's new, open-air mall, the Gateway. The chain's timing was golden -- when Gateway opened for business and was mobbed by the curious, California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) was the only full-service restaurant around. Subsequently, it too was mobbed, and still is. The no-reservation policy means waits of up to an hour are possible, even on weekday evenings. But customers armed with CPK pagers simply take themselves shopping until their tables are ready. Looking at the lines coming out of the place, someone who didn't know better might get the idea that CPK invented pizza. But founders Larry Flax and Dick Rosenfield only improved on a good idea. In 1985, they abandoned their L.A. law practice to open the first California Pizza Kitchen, believing that almost any good flavor combination could be turned into a pizza. The barbecue chicken variety became a best-seller. The egg salad pizza went out with the trash. After a couple visits to the Gateway CPK, it is plain why this chain has done so well: the menu is large, prices are reasonable, the food is consistent, and service is friendly and efficient. The only problem with the Gateway CPK is that the waiting area is small, but there isn't a store within walking distance that will complain about loitering diners. The decor is more upscale than a fast-food restaurant but ultimately casual, with booths separated by glass dividers, track lighting and an exposed kitchen where staff can be seen sliding pies out of the hearth oven. When it's full, the restaurant is noisy -- it's impossible to identify the background music, for example -- but conversation is still possible. While exotic pizza wasn't a novelty even when Flax and Rosenfield launched CPK, the chain is always experimenting with new combinations -- a relatively new offering features caramelized pears, Gorgonzola cheese, caramelized onions and hazelnuts. The menu boasts more than two dozen varieties, from a traditional cheese ($7.49) to one of the chain's original exotic specialties, a pie topped with chicken marinated in a peanut/ginger/sesame sauce, mozzarella cheese, onion bean sprouts, cilantro and roasted peanuts ($8. 99). All of them are individual-sized pies, cut into six pieces. Pizza-phobics can choose from a generous selection of salads and pasta dishes, or make a meal of an appetizer and soup. As befitting a California-born chain, CPK offers a good selection of vegetarian fare, from Tuscan hummus ($4.49) and a white-corn tortilla soup ($4.79) to Portobelo mushroom ravioli ($9.79). The vegetarian pizza ($8.99) is well-done, heavy with mozzarella, baby broccoli, grilled Japanese eggplant, roasted corn, sliced red onions, mushrooms and tangy sun-dried tomatoes. Another interesting vegetarian option is the "rustica" pizza, topped with tomatoes, garlic, kalamata olives and capers, and liberally seasoned with crushed red chiles. The rustica, which is spicy enough to bead the brow, is among the restaurant's three Neapolitan pizzas, which have a thin, crisp crust that resembles a cracker. For meatier fare, try the roasted garlic chicken pizza ($8.99), which features a white sauce redolent of garlic and white wine. While the garlic is a powerful flavor in this pie, roasting gives it a sweetness that won't knock your co-workers off their chairs. The same approach didn't work as well with fettucine. The pasta with garlic cream sauce and chicken ($10.49) didn't have the same punch as the pizza. CPK does best with full-flavored dishes, such as penne with Bolognese sauce ($9.99), a classic with wonderfully seasoned sausage and a rich tomato sauce. The spicy jambalaya is good, too, a rich plate full of crawfish, andouille sausage and diced ham in a red sauce on fine linguine ($12.49). Following rich pasta with a gooey dessert probably isn't what the doctor ordered, but CPK does sweets with style. The chocolate souffle cake is a chocoholic's dream, served warm on a pool of vanilla bean sauce ($4.49). The a la mode option is necessary. The classic tiramisu is another winner, with a good balance of the requisite rum-soaked sponge cake, creamy cheese filling and wine custard ($5.29). Plan on running an extra couple miles the next day. The beverage menu includes soft drinks, juices, specialty coffees and teas, plus bottled and microbrewed beer and a decent selection of wine with inflated by-the-glass prices. But it's better than no wine at all. California Pizza Kitchen is already a hit with Salt Lake City diners, who initially were a captive audience. But even with new dining options at the Gateway, people are still gobbling pizza like it's going out of style. They can rest easy: As long as the egg salad pizza stays buried, it won't. California Pizza Kitchen, at the Gateway 400 W. 200 South (Summer parking entrance); 456-0075 Hours: Monday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.: Friday and Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., Sunday, noon to 9 p.m. Prices: Entrees from $7 to $12.49 Liquor: Wine and beer Reservations: No Child's Menu: Yes Takeout: Yes Wheelchair Accessible: Yes Outdoor Dining: No Parking: Underground lot (Summer entrance) Credit Cards: All major Anne Wilson is The Tribune's restaurant reviewer. The newspaper covers the cost of meals at restaurants reviewed and there is no connection between reviews and restaurant advertising. Wilson welcomes food and wine news, comments and suggestions at wilwrite99@aol.com. |
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