MAKING a grand comeback are six classic CPK pizzas. Photo shows (from top) Cheeseburger Pizza, Tuna Melt Pizza and Roast Duck Pizza. At the center is Mango Tandoori Pizza, which the chain is reintroducing for those who used to love it as well as for the younger generation known for their diverse and adventurous palates.

Pizza! We, Filipinos, love it so much that we have claimed this Italian creation as our own. Aside from the Italian classics, such as Margherita (fresh basil and tomatoes) and Quattro Formaggi (four kinds of cheese), pizza comes in many other creative and imaginative flavors, and in different sizes and crusts, too. Thin crust, regular hand-tossed, thick crust… Pizza breads, solo sizes, giant pizzas, square-shaped and rectangular… Even salads, barbecues, steaks, sandwiches and desserts are given pizza interpretations…

To keep people’s interest all the time, pizza chains constantly experiment with combinations of ingredients, sauces and preparations to come up with new flavors to offer. At times, they hit it big with flavors that really catch people’s fancy; at other times they create seasonal trends that fade away after a while. It is, however, the classics that we look for after having our fill of the new flavors. They are, after all, flavors that have withstood the test of time and become our comfort foods.

It is exactly for this reason that California Pizza Kitchen re-introduced six of its most popular pizzas from the past 20 years. On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of California Pizza Kitchen in the Philippines, management thought it was the perfect time to stroll down memory lane and bring the top pizza favorites back for everyone to enjoy because, as CPK Philippines marketing manager Bob Vallar puts it, “it’s about time you stopped missing them and started enjoying them again.”

The six pizza flavors that are making a strong comeback include Roast Duck Pizza, which was first introduced in 1998. Obviously inspired by Roast Duck, a Chinese gourmet dish, this pizza is topped with marinated duck breast, soy glazed shiitake mushrooms, Mozzarella cheese, crispy fried wonton strips, scallions and Hoisin sauce. CPK is probably the only place that serves Roast Duck Pizza.

Also from the original menu of CPK Philippines in 1998 is Tuna Melt Pizza. Tuna Melt is best known as a sandwich, but California Pizza Kitchen’s R&D team thought of turning it into a delicious and healthy pizza option for the health-conscious. It is tuna salad, mixed cheeses, tomatoes and onion. These ingredients, when combined, result in a subtle explosion of flavors that is impossible to ignore. This is probably why the Tuna Melt Pizza had a good number of avid followers during its first run. Looks like it will gain the same type of following this time around.

THE Rustica Pepperoni Crispy Thin Crust Pizza was a big hit among pizza purists when it was introced in 1998. Two more original pizzas from 1998 making a comeback today are Mango Tandoori Pizza and Rustica Pepperoni Crispy Thin Crust Pizza.

The first one is, as its name already declares, Indian-inspired. It combines Indian spiced chicken chunks with Mozzarella cheese, onion, ripe mango chunks, curry sauce and red peppers. Admittedly, though, it turned out to be ahead its time when it was first introduced, because Indian cuisine was not yet popularly accepted as a global cuisine. Now, with more adventurous foodies demanding novel, unique and bold flavor combinations and with Indian cuisine having made its strong presence felt in the world stage, the time has come for the Mango Tandoori Pizza to shine.

As for the Rustica Pepperoni Crispy Thin Crust Pizza, it was a big hit am ong pizza purists when it was first introduced on the CPK menu back in 1998. The flavors of pepperoni, fresh Mozzarella cheese, Neapolitan pizza sauce, olives, capers, chili flakes and Parmesan cheese — a cross between classic Italian and Sicilian pizzas of old that bank on simplicity and freshness of ingredients and an expertly blended amalgam of flavors, the Rustica is finally back. And lovers of crispy thin crust pizzas cannot be happier.

The fifth pizza that has been “re-called to active duty” comes from the restaurant’s 2000 menu: Wild Mushroom Pizza. A hit among vegetarian diners, it was also well-appreciated by non-vegetarians because the combination of sautéed wild mushrooms, mixed cheeses, fresh parsley and mushroom pesto sauce on this pizza are to die for! Apart from being delicious, Wild Mushroom Pizza helps promote light and healthy eating.

A cheeseburger translated into a pizza? Why not? California Pizza Kitchen’s Cheeseburger Pizza from its 2000 menu packs in all the elements of a good cheeseburger — ground Angus beef, crispy bacon, mixed cheeses, caramelized onion, tomatoes, lettuce and secret sauce — on a hand-tossed pizza dough instead of a burger bun. What’s more: Cheeseburger Pizza gets a unique California twist with the addition of fresh avocado slices on top.

Six old favorite pizzas are back, and everyone is glad they are!