I've only ever had good experiences at California Pizza Kitchen, but sometimes a whole year goes by between visits. Partly it's the glut of pizza that characterizes suburban family life — I don't have to go looking for it. Also
pastaand/or
chicken.
CPK was ideal, though, for a passel of visiting aunts and uncles coming through town. And it led to a happy discovery: a short list of individual-size appetizers. Asparagus and arugula salad with lemon and Parmesan was sensational, the kind of thing I put together at home when there's fresh arugula from the garden and all the right ingredients on hand. For all the quality ingredients, the $4.99 price seems reasonable.
Another goody that I've never seen on a menu but often at parties is fresh corn guacamole, a mound of silky guacamole studded with red peppers, fresh corn kernels and black beans, accompanied by enough chips to make it a modest serving for two. I read the blogs and Twitter feeds of Bites friends enough to know it's the kind of dish people are making in home kitchens when the corn is fresh and the avocados are gorgeous.
Small, seasonal dishes, made with care seems like a promising trend away from giant plates of food, and one that we hopefully will see more frequently.
