Quick, Tasty Meals at Noodles

The American classic Mac and Cheese with white truffle oil

Recently we found ourselves in Roseville taking care of business and as luck would have it, we decided to visit the Noodles restaurant located in The Fountains shopping center.

 

A Boulder, Colorado-based chain, at its name implies this establishment specializes in noodle-based meals along with an assortment of soups, salads and sandwiches. Using the logic that one rarely goes to Chinese restaurant for a hamburger, we decided to go with their mainstays.

The noodle dishes come in regular and small sizes and span the globe as they are in three classifications - Asian, Mediterranean and American. To get a good sampling we decided to share one small dishes from each classification.

We selected the Japanese caramilized nudon noodles, pesto cavatappi with a parmesan-crusted chicken breast and one of the limited time specials, a mac and cheese laced with white truffle oil and baby portabello mushrooms. 

Caramelized Japanese nudon noodles - spicy and sweet

First things first, each of the dishes was prepared to order and arrived hot at the same time. If there there is one bothersome practice is being served communal dishes in stages - I want them all presented at the same time - just my little quirk.

Once served, we dug in and found each to be fresh, hot and flavorful. 

The nudon noodles had the right amount of spicy heat and the vegetables were not over cooked. Likewise, the dish could have used a little less sugar as the noodles tended to be a bit sweet for our tastes.

The pesto cavatappi, which was served with a tasty lightly parmesan crusted chicken breast was satisfying. The pesto sauce was tasty but could have used a bit more garlic and fresh basil.

The hit of the meal was the limited time special mac and cheese. Once a dish relegated as a waiting-to-get-paid family budget stretcher, mac and cheese in recent years has been promoted first to 

a classic comfort food and now to a sort of American haute cuisine.

Noodles version was the hit of the meal.

First they start with  your standard cheddar sauce, add a variety of shredded jack cheeses and for good measure add fresh parsley, portabella mushrooms and top it off with fresh made-in-the-store bread crumbs. This was not your regular mac and cheese - the extra zing and flavor in this American classic must be attributed to the white truffle oil.

Whatever the reason, the special mac and cheese was an a unqualified hit. And the three small portions were more than enough for two with plenty left over to take home.  

Noodles in Roseville store is located at 1186 Roseville Parkway. Their Elk Grove store is located at 7405 Laguna Boulevard #170 (next to Borders).