CPK: New Menu & New Appeal

With the abundance of locally established pizza joints in town, it takes a lot of bravery for a Austinites to venture across the pond in to the dark side of a nationwide heavy weights pizza brand. If you watch enough television, you’ll notice some of them coming up with something catchy enough to get your attention. Whether it’s a cheesey stuffed crust pizza, or a PB&J bacon pizza (still waiting on that one), sometimes I’m curious enough to try the latest twist on a seemingly endless number .  I’m even more curious when a nationwide brand improves the quality of their ingredients and menu.

California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) has always been a step above the rest of the nationwide pizza restaurants in terms of quality and overall dining experience. They recently celebrated the arrival of their new expanded menu, featuring a selection of all new farm fresh, seasonal ingredients featuring new creative dishes and hand-crafted cocktails. In a dining environment where eating local reigns as a supreme choice, CPK’s “Next Chapter” has created an inventive and delicious dining experience some Austinites will actually enjoy.

The new menu still includes elements and classic staples CPK has become known for, including several new hand-tossed pizzas, appetizers, salads, sides and seasonal dishes. One of my new favorites is the Brussels and Bacon Flatbread with sweet caramelized onions, Nueske’s Applewood-smoked bacon, creamy goat cheese, Romano and cracked black pepper atop hand-stretched dough. Real talk, I’m a sucker for Applewood-smoked bacon and and goat cheese, so I’m always down if you want to buy me a slice.

If you’re a meat and potatoes type of person you’ll enjoy entrees like the Fire-Grilled Ribeye with Pinot Noir sea salt, topped with creamy bleu cheese butter, with a side of roasted fingerling potatoes and lemon-garlic arugula salad.  If you’re looking to go meatless, try the Alaskan wild caught Hearth-Roasted Halibut, roasted on a cedar plank with a side of farm fresh butternut squash farro, grilled asparagus and baby kale.

CPK is certainly listening to local diners and it shows in their new menu. If you’ve been a fan of their pizza in the past, you won’t be disappointed. New diners curious enough to taste it, may be pleasantly surprised in the fresh quality and flavor. I’ll dare anyone to taste a few of the new items and share your thoughts with us. You’ll get major brownie points if you share it on your Instagram feed. Speaking of brownie points, why is there not a brownie pizza? CPK get on that please!

For the complete menu, visit www.cpk.com/reimagined.

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