CPK offers healthy options, rice meals
HEALTH takes front and center at California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) with the introduction of health-trendy ingredients like quinoa in its menu.
During a tasting earlier this week, guests were treated to Fruit salsa tortilla tzatziki, Quinoa and arugula salad, Foriana roasted walnut and cauliflower pizza.
The pizza tasted light but powerful, thanks to the unmistakable flavor of walnut and roasted vegetables while the quinoa salad tasted light and perfect for summer.
Not all the new dishes are as healthy — the next courses included a chicken and sausage fajita pasta ( heavy, creamy, with a spicy edge), and CPK’s newest category: rice meals, served in a pizza place.
The rice meals, according to CPK International Director of Operations Justin Parras, were developed by the Philippine franchise and then presented to the US headquarters for approval. “CPK is a well-known brand that listens to their followers and guests. And what guests have been waiting for a few years already is rice.” CPK franchisees are given quite a measure of flexibility in their menus, since Mr. Parras noted, “We usually allow them about 30% to be more innovative within their specific market.” The quinoa salad, meanwhile, stems from a “worldwide push” to be healthier, and supergrains are being introduced to CPK menus around the world.
White rice isn’t exactly a supergrain, and in fact has been bedevilled for its high glycemic index ( which would cause a spike in your blood sugar levels). It is, however, probably good for the Filipino psyche, so CPK presented two varieties, a lemon cream chicken and asparagus plate, and a sweet and spicy shrimp. Despite the heft of the plates, they were remarkably light-tasting.
Bob Vallar, marketing manager of Global Restaurant Concepts, Inc. (GRCI; which holds the franchise for CPK, among others) noted that the rice meals have been exceptionally popular for the office lunch crowd, due to a desire to have individual plates, and now serve as an advantage to them. “It eliminates the veto element before, na parang (that’s like), ‘ Ay, CPK, wala naman rice diyan (Oh, CPK; they don’t have rice there),’” said Mr. Vallar.
The final new item to the menu, by the way, was a hazelnut brownie a la mode, but hey, it’s at least healthy for your soul. —