Noodles & Company
Carmel, IN and 150 other locations
Noodles & Company Website
This chain is on fire. N&C started 13 years ago in Denver. The menu and N&C is divided by Asian, Mediterranean and American. There is a signature soup and salad for each division and about 4-5 noodle entrees.
What I Ate: Trio Japanese Pan Noodles/Sautéed Beef with Tomato Basil Bisque. $7.50
Japanese Pan Noodles are udon Noodles, soy sauce, broccoli, carrots, shitake mushrooms, Asian sprouts, black sesame, and cilantro. Overall taste is pretty good. Well balanced, the noodles are tender and the veggies are crisp. The sauteed beef lacks taste, but it is very tender. It indicates spicy on the menu, but that must be just for kids. I like to add a little Saracha on it (pictured). Portion size seems a little smaller than the last time I remember, though it looks big in the picture.
Tomato Basil Bisque was passable. I thought that it was really salty and tasted like any out of the box Tomato Basil soup at your grocery store, except saltier.
Would I Buy It Again? Maybe. I had a coupon for buy an entrée get one free. For my wife and I, it was $9.75 total. At that price for the family, yes. At full price, my visits would be less frequent. However, it is kid friendly and they have Fresca on tap so you might see the WIBIA family there a little more in the future.
Abbreviated nutritional information is on the website. Japanese Pan Noodles 350 calories for a small, add beef about 200 calories. Dare I say somewhat healthy for a quick fast casual meal?
-WIBIA
Tags: Asian Food, Fast Casual, Food, Indianapolis, Indianapolis Food Review, Noodles & Company
Honestly, could a few more chain restaurants start in Denver? Qdoba, Chipotle and now this one! Seriously, is Denver the culinary capital of the world and we just didn’t know it?
I commented too soon on the coupon post. This place looks pretty cool, I’d give it a shot. I love the addition of Saracha, did I mention I’m a sauce/condiment whore. I’ll dunk/dip/top anything with anything….I swear.
@indianapoliseater: hahaha
I love N&C…the Wisconsin Mac and Cheese with Parmasean Chicken is pretty strong. I hear rumblings of them adding Spaghetti and Meatballs in some places.
Noodles is a favorite lunch spot for me. BONUS: they are opening on near 86th and Michigan — even closer to home than Trader’s Point!
The braised beef stroganoff — perfect for a rainy day. But my favorite is the pan noodles. Try it with shrimp next time.
Good call on the shrimp, I have had that before and it was good. 86th and Michigan is so close to the other lcoation at Traders Point, kind of shocked to hear that!
Thanks for the heads up Ryan. Spaghetti and Meatballs, not sure about how well they would do that. I have never had anything from there that I couldn’t stand. With a Trio and a drink it gets close to $10, but for half price or BOGO, it is a solid choice.
Good call.
The Indonesian peanut saute is very good, as well. Same for the Thai soup. I’ve found they do better with the Asian dishes and worse with the standard American ones (which seems exactly backwards!)
Just walked by right where it is going to be while I was at lunch. It’s going to be in the same building as Einstein’s bagels. It’s in the same space as the Boston Market used to be in.
Well said, I agree 100% Italian is average, American is a little less than average, but the Thai Soup and Asian offerings are pretty good. Pad Thai is the only clunker on that side of the menu.
You know, I normally don’t go in for these kinds of restaurants. At Holly’s urging, I went with her for lunch and was pleasantly surprised. The food is good, and a nice break from burgers! While I’m not a “regular”…I got there occasionally and always enjoy it.
Now, it’s off to Yat’s and the new Star Trek Movie!