California Pizza Kitchen (CPK), a US-headquartered casual dining chain, opened its first island concept store in Century City Mall, Makati. The "wall-less" restaurant, located below an escalator, features a brightly lit open kitchen surrounded by cozy tables and chairs.
"This new layout gives CPK an inviting look. We want customers to consider CPK for light snacks or maybe coffee with your friends," Archie Rodriguez, President and CEO of Global Restaurant Concepts explained. CPK Philippines is the very first to implement the new layout. "Our counterparts from the US are very impressed with how this turned out. This may be considered as template for future branches in other territories," Rodriguez continued.
Because the new branch is relatively smaller than its walled counterparts, CPK had to streamline their regular menu and add more quick-to-prep fare in the selection. Rodriguez describes, "about 60 to 70% of the regular menu were retained in Century City Mall's menu. We had to take out the entrees that demanded bigger space."
New appetizers include dips like Chorizo and Quezo (P275), Four Cheese (P175), and Mushroom (P195); as well as a Green Mango Salad (P195) that uses local ingredients like toasted coconut and julienned green Philippine mangoes. New pizza flavors like the seafood laden Ocean's Harvest (P645) and Chorizo Pizza (P495) emphasize the local and regional direction of the brand. The innovative desserts, Pecorino Romano Cheesecake (P245) and Halo2 Ice Cream Sundae, on the other hand say that CPK keeps itself updated with food trends.
Located at the lower ground level, the new CPK store at the Century City mall seats about 80 guests. Other CPK branches are located at BGC, Trinoma, Greenbelt 5, Alabang Town Center, Promenade, Power Plant Mall, MOA, Eastwood, and Harbor Point Subic.
