California Pizza Kitchen

Take your pizza seriously. Don’t think it’s just a flatbread with a lot of toppings, it’s a religious experience that has power to change your life with just one bite. Those who are passionate about their pies knows what we are talking about. Having a great pizza is almost a privilege and is equally difficult to find. In Mumbai though there are several places where you can get a decent pizza, not many come even close to the very popular chain of gourmet pizza parlours ‘California Pizza Kitchen’. Numerous funky outlets of California Pizza Kitchen are tucked into various parts of the city but the one in Malad West takes our breath away. Perched on the third floor of Infiniti Mall, the cosy pizza joint is a mecca for foodies, who frequently stop by for a slice before heading home.

Like any smart food joint of a luxurious mall, California Pizza Kitchen is built along the similar lines. It portrays a very appealing and inviting façade of large glass panels that peeks into a wide spacious room lit brightly by natural sunlight. As you step in, you will have a choice between slipping in a cosy plush booth or take a comfy formal table. The booths are partitioned with low heighted walls to provide ample privacy to the diners. A row of edgy looking lamps hangs overhead throwing the entire area into a patina of warmth and intimacy. If you have nothing better to do, watch the chefs at work in their open kitchen. You will see a lot of pies being tossed around. The interiors are good-looking, smart, earthy, welcoming and filled with an aroma of freshly baked pies.

Their Italian menu opens with a plethora of appetizers like, dynamite shrimp, fried mac ‘n’ cheese, spicy chicken supreme, black bean quesadilla, basil chicken, crispy potato, Mediterranean focaccia, wonton rolls and BBQ chicken wings. Although the menu stocks on a wonderful variety of other Italian delicacies but what California Pizza Kitchen is famous for are their gourmet pizzas. To add the healthy element opt for a soup or a salad as a side. They do some Indianized versions of pizzas too like, Kasundi paneer and Indiano rustica that can taste divine with a glass of Mai Tai. Their hot sellers include, meat craves, margherita, Jamaican jerk, pepperoni supremo, Sicilian and Peri Peri. It is a pricey place too.