Last Thursday was my birthday, and I spent the day at work. That was just fine with me, since my party wasn’t until the next night. Still yet, I couldn’t just ignore the day my momma gave me, so after I finished my shift at 9pm I met Lia at one of my favorite hole-in-the-wall restaurants in Waikiki: California Pizza Kitchen.
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| A taste of the mainland, in the center of Waikiki. |
Of course I’m being facetious - CPK is a national chain, and if you live in a major metropolitan area , or a major suburb with a mall, you’ve probably encountered one. That may be why when I recommend CPK as one of many dining options to inquiring visitors, some respond “ Uh, we have one of those…sooo.”
Sooo… E Komo Mai, welcome to Waikiki. A major metropolis with a trolley that runs every 5 minutes to Ala Moana Shopping Center. Unfortunately the area’s lacking in the category of inexpensive, sit-down, indigenous restaurants that you were expecting to be within walking distance of your hotel. So, you can eat at the CPK down the block, or the one at the mall.
I digress and I rant, but it’s hard out here for a concierge sometimes when the closest option for “authentic” Hawaiian fare is Kenny’s at the Royal Hawaiian food court. Again, some guests just aren’t lookin’ to crawl the mall for every meal.
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| Endless iced tea... bottoms up! |
Anyways, back to my birthday bolognese at CPK. I got just that, and a bottomless mango iced tea. I always order the spaghetti Bolognese here, because I can always count on it tasting good and hitting the spot (not too sweet… a lot of red sauces can have a cavity-quality to them, but this one doesn’t go that route). It was an especially appropriate choice, since every year for my birthday my mom used to cook spaghetti for me. Nothing beats the homemade, but it was the best I could do without Ma’dear.
Our server for the evening was Rachelle, just the sweetest thing. All bubbly and genuine and friendly smiles. In an attempt to embarrass me, Lia mentioned that it was my birthday, and Rachelle happily brought us an ice cream sundae with a candle, and led the b’day serenade. Also, in accordance with family tradition, Lia took a photo of me faux-blowing the candle out, since the camera missed the real blow.
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| A faux blow for the camera... |
Other perks about the Waikiki CPK include a warm atmosphere, with the option of indoor, bar, or outdoor seating. It takes a bit longer to get a seat outside during peak dinner hours, but it’s worth it. The 2nd floor lanai in the heart of Waikiki is great people watching, and I was a little too excited about the opportunity to capture the Newspaper Man on camera without having to pay! Haha, Lia was not impressed.
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| HA! This just in... I'm amused. |
Finally, they offer kamaaina discount of 20% if you show your Hawaii ID or local bank card.
DOA ?: That could be interesting, but it’s just dinner, so you can probably wait.
HAUNT OR EXORCISE?: Haunt it like a mall rat haunts Jamba. Or like I haunt Cinnabon (now that’s one mall chain that Waikiki is really missing out on!)
CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN
2284 Kalakaua Avenue
(Center of Waikiki Bulding, 2nd Floor (above Foot Locker))
Honolulu, HI 96815
