A crust above the rest at California Pizza Kitchen

JAKARTA (JP): Any pizza restaurant with a publicity spiel that sounds like something from Genesis -- as in the Bible, not the group -- is just asking, no, begging, to be cut down to size.

"First there was the BBQ chicken. Then came Thai Chicken, BLT and Tandoori. Then ... The result has been a complete redefinition of the traditional concept of pizza," proclaims the blurb on the menu for California Pizza Kitchen, a new addition to the food offerings at Plaza Indonesia in Central Jakarta.

It lays it on a bit thick, but then again good pizza pie has been thin on the ground in Jakarta. Most of us are accustomed to the doughy deliveries of fast food chains or a thin crust which resembles a papier-mache experiment and would be better called brittle.

But we had to take a trip to California when a friend called up and positively squealed in delight about the food. "So gooood," he said, unintentionally sounding like motor-mouth Indra Safera plugging a certain brand of soap.

It is toward the back entrance of the mall, to the left of the doors and set in an open space ringed by various boutiques and jewelry stores. The restaurant is an open plan, but there are tables and chairs outside the main area, which has booths and a bar fronting the kitchen area with its pizza ovens. Somewhat surprisingly, there is little traffic on this side of the mall, so diners, despite the somewhat exposed location, are not always eye-fodder for passersby.

On the menu are, of course, pizza, in two types, traditional and Neapolitan; appetizers ranging from sesame ginger chicken dumplings to tortilla spring rolls; soups; salads; pastas; focaccia sandwiches and desserts (apple crisp, Key lime pie, white chocolate cheesecake). Drinks include wine, local and imported beer, soft drinks, regular and specialty coffees.

Over the course of three meals, we sampled the focaccia with Checca as an appetizer, two hearty mini-loaves of herb-onion pizza bread with Roma tomatoes, basil, garlic and extra virgin olive oil (Rp 35,000 ++), a delicious if filling appetizer.

The salads are simply outstanding, something to chew on in a city where chef's and Caesar's salads are usually all that is available. They are meals in themselves, such as BBQ chicken chopped, with lettuce, black beans, cilantro, jicano, basil, crispy corn, tortilla strips and Monterey Jack cheese in a herb- ranch dressing and with BBQ chicken breast (Rp 45,000 ++ entree, Rp 35,000 half).

The standout for us was the white balsamic Provencal, a glorious plate of crispy greens and aragula in a tart but not overpowering balsamic vinaigrette. Topped with feta cheese and grilled herbed chicken, the half portion was a meal in itself.

Ironically, the salad section was, however, the only blight from our various trips. The oriental chicken, described as shredded lettuce and crispy angel hair tossed with various veggies in a spicy sweet-and-sour sesame dressing, tasted to us like nail-polish remover. Had the salad been drenched and then left to wilt in the dressing? We were not about to make a federal case out of it and neither did the waiter, who removed the offending dish and asked us what we would like as a replacement, no questions asked.

The service is generally good. On the three occasions we ate there, the waitpeople, in their black and white ensembles, were friendly and helpful, although their tendency to gather en masse around the entrance to the main area during off hours can be a bit daunting for the lone diner.

But it is the pizza which is truly a crust above the rest at California Pizza Kitchen. There are more than 20 varieties, ranging from the tried and true (mushroom pepperoni sausage) to the exotic (Peking duck). We tried the Philly cheesesteak (slices of beef with sauteed onions, mushrooms, peppers and Provolone and American cheese/Rp 62,500) and roasted garlic chicken (roasted garlic, grilled chicken, mozzarella cheese/Rp 62,000), both presenting top-notch combinations of toppings with a thin but substantial pizza base.

We did not expect that the Neapolitan -- described as a traditional "thin and crisp" Italian-style pizza -- would be the exception but it was, as in exceptionally good. Its "Rustica", with Italian tomatoes, fresh Mozzarella, crushed chilies, garlic and the telling addition of piquant capers, was good enough to savor on every bite.

But Rp 62,000 for a pizza? Its location in one of the city's most upmarket malls -- the favored hunting ground of Big Hair from the suburbs and their groaning shopping carts -- and the predominance of "imported" on the menu is enough to tell you that California Pizza Kitchen is not going to be a cheap deal.

Again, it's a case of getting what you pay for. The food was excellent quality, the service good and, for once, our pizza did not arrive lukewarm in a box. And that is a good thing. (Byron Bertram)