FYI: CPK ASAP opens in Kailua town

Not content with owning one of the most famous acronyms in the restaurant industry, CPK is adding another. CPK ASAP recently opened in Kailua, with a whole new approach to pizza. California Pizza Kitchen Kailua is the only ASAP location in Hawaii, and its aim is to bring faster food to its devotees.

“We’re not a fast food location,” says Hawaii district manager, Carlos Delgado, carefully making the distinction between ASAP and a fast food chain. “But we are a place where you can come if you need to grab a sandwich or a salad or a freshly made pizza to go.”

With walk-up counters and a CPK To Go chilled cabinet where freshly made salads and cold sandwiches are kept, the atmosphere is casual, clean and appealing. There’s the crisp CPK décor, and a busy open kitchen, and customers can either serve themselves soda and sit down to eat, or grab their order and go.

“We’ve taken the successful concept of CPK,” explains Carlos, “and we’ve made it more casual. At the same time we’ve put a couple of different things on the menu.”

Grilled Panini, for example, are a new addition.“They’re fabulous!” enthuses Carlos. “Every single sandwich is really good.”

Choose from a French Dip Panini ($7.49) with thinly sliced roast beef and horseradish with a side of au jus, served on onion or original ciabatta bread; Grilled Chicken ($7.29) with garlic, basil mayonnaise, sun dried tomatoes and cheese; Grilled Veggie ($7.29), and a Turkey Club ($7.79) that is so good, I’ve successfully convinced my husband that it’s well worth the drive from Hawaii Kai. The Turkey Club has oven-roasted turkey breast, applewood smoked bacon, avocado, Monterey Jack cheese, arugula, sliced Roma tomatoes and a homemade sundried tomato aioli. The first time I ordered one I fully intended to share it with my friend - and then decided not to.

But while the grilled panini and cold sandwiches are a tasty addition to the CPK menu, pizza and salads are still the mainstay.

“ASAP has a smaller menu than our full-service restaurants,” says Carlos,” but it also has dishes you won’t find anywhere else.”

And while there’s no pasta at the ASAP location, there may be lasagne introduced sometime soon. A children’s pasta dish is served, but the emphasis is on getting fresh, fast food to people who don’t have the time to sit in a full service restaurant.

CPK has been in Hawaii since 1987. With five locations, the Kahala Mall CPK remains the No. 1 store in the nation.

“We have a very special relationship with the people of Hawaii,” says Carlos.

And he makes sure that anytime the company can give back to the community, it does. The day I sat down to chat with Carlos and his crew, they’d just finished feeding military families at the Kaneohe Marine base.

“It was incredibly touching,” he says, visibly moved by the event. “We always try to do things that show our involvement in the community, but when you help the military and you see the people who are giving their lives for our country, it’s a very humbling experience. It tends to put things in perspective for all of us.”

For now, this will be the only ASAP location in Hawaii. Oh, and you may be interested to know that BBQ Chicken Pizza and BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad are still the most popular items at CPK ASAP. Just FYI.

CPK ASAP Kailua Town Center 609 Kailua Road 263-2480

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