Cheap Eats had been remiss. How, in a town known for pizza, had we failed to tackle the interloper, the out-of-town upstart, the place that dares to serve forth that impostor of a pizza called California Pizza? Well, it was time to remedy the situation.
We went, we ate. And it wasn’t bad! In fact we grew very fond of the tandoori chicken pizza. And the spinach artichoke dip. No wonder the place is packed. Well, that it is directly across from DisneyQuest, ESPN Sports Zone and Jekyll and Hyde Club helps just a bit. Kids are in abundance. Moms and dads too. And Michigan Avenue workers also squeeze into the several yellow, white and black dining areas or sit at the counter that faces an open kitchen where the pizzas fly out of the wood-burning tiled oven like bees from a hive.
You won’t find Chicago pizza here. Nothing stuffed. Instead, the staff brings forth thin-crust, 10-inch pizzas with toppings that run the ethnic gamut, including, of course, that multicultural mecca known as California. There is the Thai chicken pizza, the Havana chicken, the Hawaiian, the Peking duck, the vegetarian with Japanese eggplant, the goat cheese with roasted peppers, the Santa Fe and the sweet & spicy Italian sausage pizza. Twenty-seven pizzas in all. It is the perfect place to order several kinds and share them.
The previously mentioned tandoori chicken pizza ($9.29) mixes mild Indian spices with white meat cubes, zucchini and yellow squash slices, mozzarella and a tomato-yogurt curry sauce. An optional topping of mango chutney is served on the side, but the pizza is very good without that additional sweet flavor.
The Peking duck pizza ($10) needs no sweet topping. Its ginger hoisin sauce seems loaded with sugar. But the sliced green onions, the rich roasted duck pieces and the earthy shiitake mushrooms help balance the pizza’s flavor.
If garlic is your idea of heavenly food, the grilled garlic shrimp pizza ($10) offers plenty of kick. Onions and a white wine and garlic-shallot butter add more interest to the overcooked shrimp.
While you wait for the pizza, order the BBQ chicken chopped salad ($9, or $5 for a half serving), which is large enough for three or four to share as an appetizer. Smoked chicken cubes top shredded lettuce with corn, black beans, bell peppers, tomatoes and Monterey jack cheese, all tossed with a creamy herb dressing. A drizzle of a sweet mesquite barbecue sauce and crisp tortilla strips top the whole appealing thing.
Spring rolls ($6) offer another hefty appetizer portion. Two large rice paper rolls are cut in half on the diagonal. They are stuffed with noodles, shrimp, green onion and dipped into a tangy sesame ginger dipping sauce. On the side is a small mound of red cabbage tossed in a creamy Thai peanut dressing.
But the spinach artichoke dip ($6) is our favorite starter. Rich with chunks of artichoke hearts, it is served with blue and white corn tortilla chips. Not for the diet-conscious, this is worth a splurge. It’s large enough for four.
The pastas aren’t shabby either. Chicken tequila fettuccine ($9.29) with a jalapeno cream sauce that tastes of coconut milk is spicy, rich and sinful. The chicken is grilled, the red and yellow peppers crunchy, the spinach fettuccine nicely cooked. The portion? Almost enough for two.
The Bolognese rigatoni ($9.49) is less successful. Its too-sweet meat sauce, onions and bell peppers nestle in a large bowl. Diagonally sliced Italian sausage looks good but has a dense texture and a too-mild flavor. Sliced mushrooms are $1 extra.
A fresh lemonade ($1.79) made on the premises teams well with the spicier pizzas. Other drinks include IBC root beer ($2) and Hawaiian Punch ($1.79). Cocktails, beer and wine are available.
After the huge portions, dessert seems superfluous to us, but there are seven to choose from ($4 to $4.79) for the truly hungry.
The friendly service at Pizza Kitchen may include a few jokes, but that doesn’t affect the efficiency. But those who like their pizza with Sinatra may want to go elsewhere: Noisy music adds to the din when the place is full. But it’s a fun environment. We especially like the paintings by art students lining the walls. Each framed work is a different food theme rendered on pizza takeout boxes.
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California Pizza Kitchen
(3 forks)
52 E. Ohio St.
312-787-6075
Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sun.-Thurs.; 11 a.m.-midnight Fri.-Sat.
Credit cards: A, D, DC, M, V
Wheelchair-accessible
Noise level: Conversation-friendly
Ratings key:
4 forks: Don’t miss it
3 forks: One of the best
2 forks: Very good
1 fork: Good
Reviews are based on anonymous visits by Tribune staff members. The meals are paid for by the Tribune.
