Friday, December 11, 2015

California Pizza Kitchen's #CPKNewMenu2015

Last month, I had the privilege of being one of the invitees to CPK's New Menu Media Launch.  California Pizza Kitchen, or CPK, has always innovated themselves; coming out with new menu items every year.  This year is no exception.  With the theme 'California is a state of mind', not only does it remind you of the adventure, but also of the delicious and diverse food that California has to offer.  And I'm one of the lucky ones that get to try it first!  So... let's get started!



New Items 2015

Apple Grape Combo Shake
I was offered a number of new drinks, and this was what caught my attention.  Good choice too, because I loved it!  Whoever thought of combining this is a genius.


Mexicali
For starters, we had the Mexicali salad.  The name is spot on.  I loved how they innovated the salad and had us eat it nacho-style.  Just scoop up a bit (or a lot!) of the salad into the tortilla and eat!  Or you can also opt to crush the tortilla and mix it into the salad.


Fruit N' Nut





Mixed fruits, nuts, avocado paired with orange herb vinaigrette.  I have just one word for this: refreshing.  This is perfect for those who are not so fond of salads.


Vegetable Primavera
My first reaction:  Meh.  After eating a forkful: Oh wow.  LOL.  I don't know how, but what seemed like a boring pasta has managed to be oh-so-flavorful.  Not normally a fan of oil-based pastas but this one has me converted.


Puttanesca
Now, we're talking.  A bit spicy, but tolerable for people like me who can't stand spicy stuff.  And they sure didn't scrimp on the tomatoes.  Chunkful of tomatoes in every bite!


Steak Mushroom + Truffle Pizza
My favorite of the entire lunch.  If you've read through some of my posts, you'd know that I'm a true blue truffle lover.  But steak + mushroom + truffle?  What sorcery is this?! I'm hooked!  Definitely going back for this one!


Caramelized Apple, Bacon + Gorgonzola Pizza
A mix of sweet and savory.  My seatmate cannot stop gushing over this, and I must admit it was pretty good too.  Bacon lovers will definitely dig this.


Baja Shrimp Pizza
This one, I felt, had too much going on.  But it really does live up to being a Mexicali pizza, with a mix of bold flavors and all.  If you love spicy, then the jalapenos will hit the spot.


Salted Chocolate Cake with Caramel Sauce
From the looks of it, the cake looks dry.  But I was surprised to find out that it actually wasn't.  And for those who are afraid that it might be too sweet, fear not!  Because it isn't.  The hint of salt perfectly complements it too.


Queso de Bola Cheesecake
If you love queso de bola, then this is for you.  Imagine slivers of thinly shaved Queso de Bola incorporated with the creamy cheesecake.  Oh the texture!  Trivia:  CPK wanted to inject a bit of Filipino into their desserts and had a well-known Filipino pastry chef come up with this queso de bola cheesecake.  Truly Filipino indeed.


So... the verdict?  It's been quite a while since I've been to CPK, but I'm glad to know that it's still the same CPK I've loved over the years, and with new scrumptious dishes too!  My favorites include the Steak Mushroom + Truffle Pizza, the Fruit N' Nut Salad and the Vegetable Primavera Pasta.  But don't just take my word for it, go try them out and let me know your favorites too!  


California Pizza Kitchen is at Unit 2302-2304, Mid-level 2/3, East Wing, Shangri-la Mall, Mandaluyong City.  They also have branches in Alabang Town Center, Bonifacio High Street, Greenbelt 5, Greenhills, Power Plant Mall, Mall of Asia and Century City Mall.

Friday, December 4, 2015

Online Shopping in the Philippines

Source: http://media.cagle.com/163/2013/11/26/140684_600.jpg

So... Black Friday and Cyber Monday just went by.  Have any of you managed to score some great deals during these once-a-year ultimate sale extravaganza?  If you live in the States, then lucky you!  As for us in the Philippines, sad to say that not all retail merchants have participated in the said event.  Blame it on the lack of Thanksgiving holiday here.  LOL.  Kidding aside, even if we don't get to enjoy that much perks here, I can say that things have definitely shaped up for us in the past few years.  Case in point?  The existence of online shopping sites like Zalora and Lazada.  Admit it, these are the top two brands that pop up in your mind when you put Philippines and Online Shopping together in a sentence.  I've bought from both.  But being a crazy-for-fashion girl, I always find myself clicking through Zalora every chance I get.  So much fashion choices!  And not only that, they also have your favorite brands up on their site.  An example?  I totally love the Mango collection at ZALORA.   They probably have almost everything a girl (and boy!) needs, sartorial-wise.  Much, much better than going to the mall, if you ask me.  Heck, you won't even have to fight anyone for that elusive parking slot!