What can I say, I’m a sucker for Tostada Pizza. For the most part I’m the first to choose a locally owned original restaurant, but sometimes you have to give in to the large eating establishments. There are SO many chain restaurants!!! California Pizza Kitchen is one I end up at least once or twice a month. This write up is actually two separate visits to said CPK. (within 2 weeks of each other!)
Visit #1:
There are some tasty new tid bits (called small cravings by CPK) on the menu now. My lunch partner and I decided to be “good” this particular day so we split an order of one of these enticements. The Sweet Corn Tamale Ravioli - filled with poblano peppers and cheese, tossed in a roasted pepper cream sauce with fresh sweet white corn and fresh cilantro won over the other choices. I must say we weren’t disappointed with our decision! They had a little bite to them, but were tamed down with the cream sauce to make my tongue do a happy dance.
We also split the entree, as I said before we were being “good” so that meant no Tostada Pizza. A sad day indeed, but the Asparagus & Spinach Spaghettini - A light pasta with sautéed asparagus, spinach, fresh tomatoes, basil garlic and Parmesan cheese was also quite tasty (just not a hugs pasta fan). Upon finishing the above meal I felt like I had cheated my stomach… a trip to CPK is almost always a sure bet on Tostada Pizza smothered in Cholula, but I digress… Overall a great lunch and splitting a “small craving” and the main dish was a perfect serving! Not too light and not too full, my weight watchers leader would have given me a Bravo star! (Let’s forget that roasted pepper cream sauce when we tell her the story though.)
Visit #2:
Would you consider it a problem to be craving something daily for 2 weeks? Since my first visit to CPK I craved on a daily basis the Tostada Pizza.
After attending a movie near the very CPK I went to on Visit #1 I suggested to my friends, “Why don’t we go to CPK, its so close!” My stomach had been looking for a way to justify going back there in such a short amount of time and this was the perfect in! Oh Happy Day!!! Luckily they agreed. These, my fellow veggie friends, were in fact the very couple that had introduced me to the Tostada Pizza at CPK a few years earlier. I found this truly fitting as I wouldn’t be dealing with this addiction if it weren’t for them.
I guess you don’t really need to guess what we ordered. Two Tostada Pizzas for the table and we were in heaven! What is a Tostada Pizza you ask? Southwestern black beans, sharp Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses topped with chilled shredded lettuce, homemade roasted tomato salsa, green onions and crispy tortilla strips with our herb ranch dressing. You really should also ask for the bottle of Cholula upon ordering so you don’t waste any time once the pizza arrives at your table. Need I say more?
There were NO leftovers…
