Restaurant Review: Small Cravings at CPK

Let's get the disclosure out of the way first: I was not paid to write this post.

I did it for the free meal.

You see, I absolutely LOVE California Pizza Kitchen. It is one of the few restaurants where I know that EVERYONE in the party will be happy... even us dieters, thanks to their vast array of really interesting salads. (If you don't think a salad can be exciting, I dare you to go to your local CPK and order the Moroccan Chicken Salad. It is out of this world.)

So I didn't think twice when their PR people asked if I wanted to go to a blogger tasting of their new Small Cravings menu, especially since they were holding it here in the Valley, at their Studio City location. 

I didn't even have to cajole my daughter into coming along. California Pizza Kitchen is one of her favorite places, too. In fact, whenever her middle school schedules a half-day, my daughter and her friends end up organizing a lunch at our neigborhood CPK. (And as they are not yet old enough to drive, we moms often end up dining together at a table beside them.)

According to the company, the Small Cravings offerings "deliver the big innovative flavors CPK is known for, but in smaller portions, inviting guests to explore the many tastes the restaurant offers." Items on the Small Cravings menu cost $4-$7. There is also a companion Small Cravings wine list - smaller pourings of vintages selected to go with the food.

It's kind of like tapas - done CPK style. And it would be a perfect selection for those impromptu early dismissal day luncheons.

So what did I think of the food?

We sampled nearly everything on the menu: The Arugula-Asparagus salad, White Corn Guacamole and chips, the Mediterranean Plate, Crispy Artichoke Hearts, Buffalo Chicken and the Sweet Corn Tamale Ravioli. I'm glad we did it that way, because each dish was so good that I would have a hard time selecting just one... or even two. All together - and shared among everyone at our table - it was a hearty and varied meal.

And yes, I also enjoyed a glass of Murphy-Goode Sauvignon Blanc. After all, it was small.

DISCLOSURE: I was not paid to write this review, nor did I promise that it would be a positive one. The opinions on this blog are my own.

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