How California Pizza Kitchen Taught Me to Be a ‘Real American’ | Eater

"A mall-front, '90s-era casual dining spot anchored by a neon marquee, faux palm trees, a beach-montage interior and an open, wood-fired kitchen that felt distinctly Californian. Its glossy, photo-heavy menus and complimentary bread introduced adventurous fusion pizzas — most famously a tangy BBQ Chicken pie and a Thai Chicken pie bright with carrot slivers and fresh herbs — alongside other hybrid dishes that mixed peanut sauces, avocados, soy, and tortilla chips. For many immigrant families it served as a gateway to mainstream American dining culture, offering recognizable, nonshared plates and drinks that made kids feel they belonged; that cultural significance was as important as the food. Though founded in the mid-1980s and credited with planting California-style fusion pizza into the mainstream, later visits revealed a decline in execution at some locations, with toppings applied haphazardly, overly sweet sauces, and lukewarm, gloopy textures amid an increasingly gimmicky, over-fused menu." - Vivian Lee