I went to California Pizza Kitchen

For most of you reading, this will be unenthusiastic. It's another chain restaurant with a non-changing menu. The reason I want to write about this restaurant is that there so many great qualities to it. I have gone to this establishment numerous times, I mean over 30 or so times. And the reason I keep going back is that the food is actually fresh, innovative, and tastes good. I can't speak for every CPK, but the one I go to in Westwood, which is always very busy with lines out the door, is top notch.

Today I went with my friend Lilian. I ordered what I always order which is the miso salad with shrimp and blue crap (pictured above). It has the perfect crunch to it, with avocado, wonton strips, edamame, crisp cabbage, blue crab with shrimp, and the miso sauce. It's really good and the portion is huge. This is the one place I actually order a salad as a meal. Other places, I order it to accompany my big entree. It looks pretty and you know how we like pretty things. Lilian ordered the vegetarian with japanese eggplant pizza (picture to the right). (From the website, it contains:Mozzarella cheese, baby broccoli, grilled Japanese eggplant, roasted corn, sliced red onions, mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes and our tomato sauce. Recommended on Honeywheat Dough.) She has eaten this before and loves it. I looked at it, and the cheese was perfectly melted and the vegetables were very juicy. Another recommendation is the Kung Pao Spaghetti, it never fails me, it's perfectly spicy with an innovative twist.

CPK is definitely a YES EAT!

When you just want to go somewhere to eat and don't want to dress up or go to the nearby Denny's, this is definitely the place to go.

BTW:They did not pay me to say this! I wish they did!;-)