More recently, I ventured into Chili's and into the California Pizza Kitchen restaurants, both in Orem.
This one has always been kind of like a staple. It features southwest cuisine, but also the traditional burgers and fries and stuff. I have always loved the traditional fajitas. This time, Queenmeadow, her husband Stuthewise, and their 3 kids invited me out for an evening of fun since they couldn't make it to a BBQ I invited them to a little while back. One thing I love about this restaurant, is that you can use a service called "Call Ahead Seating." The idea is that your name will go on the waiting list as soon as you call, and then you pick up your pager when you get there. The wait time is the same as if you had just walked in the door, but it is from the moment you call, not when you arrive! I haven't ever had to wait very long when I used this wonderful service. Other restaurants are dumb for not implementing the same type of service. I believe this would ease the stress of a huge lobby of hungry, yet angry guests (bad combination)!
I have heard many advertisements lately for their new menu item called "Fajita Trio." (My favorite one is the game-show one on the radio, about naming that sound...cracks me up everytime I hear it)! I was kind of tired of the usual things I get everytime I go there, so I thought I would try it out. It is small portions of steak, chicken, and shrimp all cooked in a sizzling skillet with bell peppers and onions! MMM!!! I thought they were fabulous, and so did Queenie! Overall a very good experience!
CPK specializes in non-traditional pizzas with more gourmet type toppings and cheeses, etc. Along with that you will find some pastas along the same lines. They too have a call ahead seating option available, but you still have a bit of a wait once you arrive, which is no big deal usually.One of my friends, Ms. Cvitas, graduated from BYU (or at least walked, cause she gets her diploma in August). She is from Croatia, along with some friends she as met while living here the past few years. They have green cards, and live here, while Ms. Cvitas is here only on a student visa. After the long, boring, drawn out, graduation ceremony, she had a little celebration at CPK.
We got in and got seated after a short wait, but then the server was not aware we were her table. Usually servers have sections, so if a new group comes into your section, they are your table to serve. I don't know what happened, but they gave us a free appetizer to make up for it!!! The food was prompt, and the right temperature. She had issues with keeping up on our drinks (some didn't like the italian sodas, but she wasn't around to get it changed).
The biggest beef of mine was when I paid my bill. My bill came to $11.00, and I paid with a $20 bill. She brings me back $6, but a $5 bill, and $1 bill. I have no other cash, and I was going to leave her like $3, even though it was only supposed to be like $2 technically. I would have asked her to change it out, but like I said before, she never came back. We were there talking for like 30 min after our bills came, and I had no caffeine to help me keep up the fast pace of a foreign language I can barely understand anymore as it is! So, I left her $1, and then I found a couple of quarters, so her tip ended up being $1.50. HALF! If any of you are servers in restaurants out there, and you actually want a tip, don't expect me to be leaving you the $5 bill. IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN unless you blow me away with your incredible service/food!!!
Lastly, this place shouldn't have even been mentioned cause it was so bad. Sakura Teppanyaki Grill and Sushi Lounge in Orem. I only have two words for this place. SO BAD! Perhaps these ones are better: NEVER AGAIN! Two hours to get a few sushi rolls, then it comes back either not rolled tight enough, or they used the wrong kind of rice, because they fell apart the second you touched them. Just avoid this place if you can!!!
4 comments:
Mmmmm.....Chilis
I would have been ticked about the CPK bill thing. It sounds like she kept a little somethin'- somethin' for herself there (paying her tip for you?). I wouldn't have left her anything. And if it's because she can't give correct change, then she needs to go back to school.
The kids loved their food at Chili's too, they have a nice variety for them.
Stu hated his food this time though, I gave him the link so hopefully he'll comment more ;)
thanks for the review on the sushi place, i contemplated going there someday. Now I know not to.
Mmm, food. Weigh-in day isn't a good day to read such a post and think, "mmm, steak, chicken & shrimp".
I think CPK is okay, but what I'd love to see is a pizza place that does more European-style pizza, with a thinner crust and different veggies on top. Eggplant and zucchini are actually really good on pizza, especially with a bit of fresh mozzarella. We also need a nice Turkish Doener-Kebab place around here. Mmm....
Kristen-Just adds to my luck though wouldn't you agree? I mean come on, me have a good experience at a restaurant? I like making all my friends so annoyed by this that they don't go out to eat with me EVER AGAIN!
Queenmeadow-I still loved how your son M. plugged his nose when our fajitas came cause he thought they "stinked" when they were sizzling on the skillet!
Kristeee-I am sorry to make you suffer on weigh-in day esp. when you are fasting for that blessed event! CPK actually does have the option of a thin crust now. I got it on my Margarita pizza (which wasn't as good as others I have had). I almost want to say that they have a pizza with japanese eggplant on it!?
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