Nestled in a snug corner of Phoenix Market City, California Pizza Kitchen brings forth Mexifornia all through June. Picture a brick wall decked up with images of life from California, yellow mood lighting, comfy cushions, unpretentious service and toothsome dishes. Doesn’t that sound like a perfect dining experience? Chef Kuldeep Bharani, Regional Chef and Area Kitchen Manager for the South, says, “The accent is on quality. We aim to ensure the focus of the festival is on the table rather than the décor which is minimalist.”
When I dine at a restaurant, I usually tuck into the food without a care in the world. But when my friend and I walked through the doors of CPK, nervousness set in. This was the first time I was walking into a restaurant to critique the food and not just eat for the sake of it.
I was put at ease by sombrero-wearing smiling faces that welcomed us. We were then briefed about the new Mexifornia menu that features eclectic and new dishes, from Tijuana Chicken Pizza and California Styled Burrito Wrap to Coconut Lime Tres Leches Cake and creating your own Tapas Platter . We weren’t craving anything specific and wanted to experience something different, so I asked the waiter who was well-informed about the dishes to “Surprise us!” – something I’ve never done at a restaurant. But, before that, we were served Pineapple Twisters and Mango Mint Ecstasy , refreshing drinks that are part of the regular CPK menu.
It’s true I’m a sucker for Chinese cuisine, but having developed an itch for cheesy Nachos, it needed to be scratched. CPK Nachos was the appetiser — crispy Nachos, California style, served with a generous amount of cheese sauce, jalapenos, fresh cilantro and tomatoes, topped with sour cream, which for me was a dish to die for.
Another appetiser that’s part of the Mexifornian menu is Tick Your Pick — the tapas live counter, highlight of this year’s festival. Patrons are given a small card containing choices for the base (Flat Tostada/Tacos/Chalupa), topping (Chipotle Salsa/ Roasted Corn/ Checca/ Sonora Chicken/ Southern Chicken), sauce (Jalapeno Guacamole/ Sour Cream/ Spicy Tomato) and garnish (Shredded Lettuce/ Cilantro/ Scallion) to create their very own custom Mexican tapas platter. All the choices are put up on a live station near the restaurant’s entrance that allows patrons to see what goes into their platter. The chef then puts together their preferences.
Next came the specialty Baja Fish in Banana Leaf, essentially a Baja sauce marinated Basa fish, wrapped in banana leaf baked in a hearth. My friend and I split the order, which consisted of a perfectly cooked fillet of fish that cut through like butter and tasted a tad caramelised. The mildly spicy greens which I thought were whipped, Schezwan style, teased the taste buds when eaten with the Basa fish. We certainly could have shared a second order, though that is more a reflection on the otherworldly taste than the portion size. The servings were a bit pricey, but worth it. It was followed by a 9-inch Sonora Salsa Pizza – a thin crust pizza base topped with roasted tomato salsa, mozzarella, roasted corn and black bean salsa, garnished with jalapeno guacamole sauce and cilantro. An average dish, when compared to the specialty, which stood out for its flavours.
We got to taste both the desserts, Apple Enchiladas and Coconut Lime Tres Leches Cake . The former comprised crisp golden brown wonton sheets filled with apple compote and Philadelphia cheese, served with apple sauce and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The warm wonton sheets with the sweetened apple filling and the cold ice cream complemented each other wonderfully. The latter, a popular Mexican dessert, was light and fluffy in texture with flavours of coconut and lime. Although, it looked appetising, the flavours of coconut and lime were distinct.
Dinner over, we chatted with Chef Kuldeep, who said, “We are paying tribute to Cinco de Mayo through this Mexifornia festival. It is a Mexican holiday, celebrated on the fifth of May. It’s like liberation day.” Mexicans, the world over, celebrate the Battle of Puebla which took place in the year 1862 on this day. “Another reason is that the state of Mexico adjoins California and hence Californian cuisine has a Mexican influence,” added Kuldeep.
The restaurant is open every day from 12 noon to 11 p.m. and Mexifornia is on till July 6.
For details, contact
6510 8888.
