Too tight for pants or pretentious pizza

Last night the family and I ventured out to California Pizza Kitchen. My daughter likes the Jamaican Jerk pizza and my wife and I enjoy the lettuce wrap appetizer. Overall though, this joint is not my favorite restaurant chain, as the food is pricey and well, I’m really CHEAP. In fact all the time I lived in ‘pretentious’ California, I never ate at these restaurants. Now I am more likely to visit one at some random harried airport in some random state OTHER than California.

I never quite relax at CPK. The place always wants to be far more than a pizza shop and it feels that way. I get the same feeling when looking at little glass miniatures in the mall. Everything is to be admired and longed for but NEVER touched. Personally I don’t think when you are paying upwards of $12 for a small pizza, you should be afraid to eat it.

Now for all you fans of CPK, don’t get me wrong the food is high quality and well prepared. I even am fortunate enough to know a couple of lacrosse ladies that work there so everyone treats us great. It is just that a long time ago I finally decided to separate the arts from eating food. I appreciate the beautiful pictures in recipe books and a chef’s artistry in preparation, but overall I really just want SOMETHING TO EAT without taking a loan out at our bank.

At California Pizza Kitchen I am served a small pizza with sliced peppers fanned around a center of three bean salsa, cilantro, tomatoes and chicken cubes, which is then drizzled with milky green chipotle sauce. This may be a beautiful pizza, but it clearly is for somebody else. Whatever happened to just pounding out a ball of dough, schmearing on a spoonful of tomato sauce, a handful of cheese and a pepperoni or two, and then toasting the thing? If I want peppers, I’ll ask for some jalepenos and cut them up myself. No it is not artful, or particularly unique – but it is SIMPLE, CHEAP, AND TASTES GREAT!

Also at CPK, the dinner plate sized pizza is fine for supper, but it just does not provide enough ‘extra’ to take home for the fridge. Cold pizza for breakfast is a luxury all unto itself around here. I guess I am just too antiquated and UPTIGHT to appreciate the finer things in life that’s all? No, actually I think that ‘squeaky’ tightness sound is mysteriously coming from behind my back and uncomfortably close to my posterior? WHEW – I was worried for a minute . . . that was just my WALLET!