There are a few tell-tale signs to determine if a Gaucho has had a good weekend. Seeing as how Extravaganza was last weekend, my guess is that most Gauchos had a wonderful weekend. After dancing all night to the likes of Girl Talk and Ludacris, the 10 people crashing in my tiny living room vowed to treat our bodies right and add some nutrients into those increasingly un-toned stomachs of ours. The road to replenishment led us to California Pizza Kitchen, and the rest is history.

When I think about CPK, I am bombarded with images of greens, grilled chicken and doughy focaccia crusted pizzas covered with rainbows and smiles. It is the ideal hangover food because they have enough options to satisfy any weird craving you may have, while still keeping it light and infused with freshness. The menu has crazy flavors of pizza ranging from the Thai Chicken Pizza to the Jamaican Jerk Pizza, or more simples ones with classic grilled vegetables and different cheeses. No matter what toppings you order, the crust never disappoints and the Arnold Palmers are specifically commendable choices for washing it all down. They also specialize in salads and offers half-sizes as well, which I love, considering their half salad is the size of a full one at most other restaurants. On this particular day, I ordered the Thai Crunch Salad for the first time and couldn’t have been happier. I noticed that the Cobb was another favorite at my table along with the BBQ Chicken Chopped, so I must give props to these for being true “oldies but goodies.”

CPK is also having a special promotion right now that is pure genius. Each time you go in and eat, you will receive a “Thank You” card. Upon opening the card, you will find either cash, free trips or discounts at CPK, but the trick is it must remain unopened until your next visit. I have a card in my purse right now that could be worth $50,000, and with my pending graduation and the threat of a possible nine-to-five future job, I am determined to return later this week to quench my curiosity.

Either way, you are guaranteed to leave California Pizza Kitchen with a gourmet meal in your stomach for under $15, and that, my friends, is priceless.

Until Next time,
XOXO
The Hungry Gaucho