Noodles & Company

My friend wanted to try Noodles & Company, which had recently opened in the Restaurant Row area of Sand Lake Drive. We went there for an early mid-week dinner and were pleased to find that it wasn’t too crowded.

Although I must admit that I was a little overwhelmed with the menu posted on the wall it didn’t take me long to decide on something.

This is a fast-casual restaurant where you order and pay at the counter then it is brought to your table when it is ready.

I decided on the Wisconsin Mac & Cheese (A classic blend of cheddar and jack cheeses, cream and elbow macaroni – there #1 seller Regular Size $5.59), then for an additional $2.59 I topped it with Parmesan Crusted Chicken, and for just $1 more I added a cup of Tomato Basil Bisque (rich and zesty tomato soup with cream, sherry, fresh basil, garlic and Italian parsley).

Now on to the food….

I liked the presentation and the portion size of my Mac & Cheese as it was brought to the table. I took my first bite and thought to myself “Mehhhh”. Flavor-wise it was just average. I have been lucky enough to have had some really good Mac & Cheese in my day, so something that is just average isn’t good enough for me.

The Parmesan Crusted Chicken was also not what I expected. I thought it would be ‘Fried” with a Parmesan Crust, instead it was like a Grilled Chicken Breast that had a layer of Parmesan between the Chicken and the Grill. It was not bad, it was just not what I had expected.

Now the Tomato Soup….. It was rich in flavor and tasted amazing!

It would almost be worth going to Noodles & Company just for the Soup!

Now my friend had ordered the Bangkok Curry (Sweet coconut curry, broccoli, carrots, red bell pepper, onion, mushrooms, a light portion of rice noodles, served on cabbage with black sesame seeds) with Slow Braised Pork.

Now I had a bite of her dish and it was fantastic. The combination of all of the ingredients and the Pork itself were really magnificent.

Although I didn’t particularly care for the dish that I ordered, I do feel like Noodles & company is a nice place that offers a ton of possibilities to customize your own unique dish. Order carefully. I look forward to returning and trying something else!