By Lola Valentin & Katherine Chladny
The Cougar Star
Clague Middle School
1st Place Division MS, News Writing
Review
JUDGING CRITERIA
- Sharp, attention-getting lead that clarifies subject
- Gives a short summary or adequate information about subject
- Discusses strengths and weaknesses of subject
- Uses specific examples to support opinion
- Displays knowledge of subject
- Shows thought and research
- Colorful, lively presentation; effective form/style
- Proper diction/grammar
Have you ever been to Briarwood Mall? Do you ever want a nice place to eat after a long day of shopping? Well, you’re in luck! California Pizza Kitchen is just that! It is a four-star Italian restaurant also known as CPK, and is a very good place to eat.
Sanitary Levels: CPK is a very clean place to eat. The tables are always spotless, and the dishes are crystal clear. The food is always very fresh and high quality. The bathrooms are beautiful. Always shiny, nice music playing, and it is very nice. Most of the CPK’s that I have visited were very large, so they can hold a lot of people. Overall, this is a very clean restaurant, and just enjoyable to visit.
Food Quality: The food is incredible! CPK has a giant menu, and everything is so good, it’s hard to choose! They always hand out a basket or two of fresh-baked complimentary bread with olive oil to dip. There are drinks for everyone. I usually get a mango passion fruit iced tea. For a starter, I recommend the buffalo cauliflower which is pretty much deep-fried cauliflower with a spicy buffalo sauce. It tastes just like chicken wings, but better. It is served with a ranch sauce and tastes like heaven. If high spice is not your thing, there are many alternatives, like Asian cauliflower which is the same concept, but with a sweet Asian sauce instead of spicy. Also, there is a really yummy spinach and artichoke dip. It is very cheesy, served in large portions (so I recommend to only get one) and it is served with corn tortilla chips. Now, for the entree, since it is a pizza kitchen, I recommend the works pizza. I usually order it without onions because I’m not a big onion fan. It has lots of mushrooms, red onions, pepperoni, green peppers, and sausage. I love this combination on a thin crust pizza. If this pizza does not interest you then there are many other pizzas. My friend loves the original BBQ chicken pizza which has onions, chicken, BBQ sauce, and sprinkles of parsley with a thin crust. Now, if you don’t like pizza, there are so many other foods. They make MEAN Ceaser salads and have many other salads and pastas. One pasta that is really favorable is a nice creamy classic, get ready, it’s a long one, alfredo fettuccine. You can also order it with shrimp which makes it that much more satisfying.
Wait time: I believe that this is a big factor, a lot of people hate long wait times. I am one of those people. The good thing is, there are never long waits, even though the restaurant is always full. This is because CPK is a huge place. If you don’t enjoy long waits then this is the right place to go to.
Ambiance: Everyone loves a peaceful environment right? I think so. California Pizza Kitchen has a beautiful restaurant. Since the restaurant is so clean, it is always sparkling. The restaurant is quite big, full of large glass windows. And what’s not to love about the staff? They are always there when you need them, your food is made speedy quick, and the waiters and waitresses are delightful! They are always cheery and super kind. It is the type of ambiance everyone loves.
I hope you go to CPK and enjoy your visit. I highly recommend it and hope you go soon.