California Pizza Kitchen

December is a month for party where most of the people celebrate reunions and Christmas party. My college friends and I planned to have our yearly Christmas party last Friday at California Pizza Kitchen (CPK). Ever since Ian and I stroll around Greenbelt 5, I always wanted to try their pizza and pasta since according to some of my friends they offer the best pizza and pasta in town.

It's my first time to try California Pizza Kitchen and honestly it's so difficult to chose our orders. They have lots of various appetizers, soups, salads, pasta, pizza and beverages. The restaurant is clean, spacious and soundless. The place is suitable for a family dine-in or even group of friends like us; it brings you a level of prestige and a feeling of a little bit fine dining. The setting is warm and cozy. About the staff, they were all very nice and friendly, they always wear their killer smiles whenever we asked for something.

 Warm and cozy ambiance.

We were seated and decided on sharing some items for dinner. Cha ordered for Milan Pizza, a combination of grilled Italian sausage and sweet Italian sausage with sautéed wild mushrooms, caramelized onion, Fontina, Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese topped with fresh herbs. The taste of this pizza is overwhelming. You can taste the sweetness of Italian sausage sauce just right to the taste while retaining the Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese keeping the nature of a good pizza.

 Milan Pizza

For pasta, she chose Pesto Cream Penne; a perfect match of basil pine nut pesto cream sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, shrimp and Parmesan cheese. We ordered this Pesto Cream Penne because of its one ingredient, the sun-dried tomatoes. I haven't tried sun-dried tomatoes before but now I loved the taste of it. The sauce was tasteless but it compliments with the salty taste of the sun-dried tomatoes.

Pesto Cream Penne

Since all of us are not satisfied with our orders, we added Shrimp Scampi Pizza, a mixture of sautéed shrimp, mild onions, roasted garlic, Mozzarella cheese, fresh oregano and Italian parsley with a white wine lemon garlic butter sauce. I love the crunchy roasted garlic and the good smell of fresh oregano with every taste.

 Shrimp Scampi Pizza

We also order Spaghetti Carbonara. Spaghetti with sautéed apple wood smoked bacon, petite peas and Italian parsley in a Romano cheese cream sauce. The serving size is just enough for its price. A good recommendation for cream based pasta lovers. However, the cream is a bit lighter than the typical carbonara.

Spaghetti Carbonara

After our tasty dinner, we decided to have our exchange gifts! Yippee!

 gifts.. ^_^

 Amy, Charis, RN and Cha

Meet my college friends.. ^_^

Over all, CPK is serving a good scrumptious pizza and pasta. I feel that they are pretty consistent with their standard of food. The foods are really yummy, but please take note that the foods here are quiet pricey compare to other pizza restaurant.

Note: Sorry we left our receipt in the restaurant since all of us are excited to go home.. Haha.

California Pizza Kitchen
Unit 77 & 78, Level 2
Greenbelt 5, Ayala Avenue
Makati City