Restaurant Review of Noodles & Company in Columbus, Ohio

Noodles & Company has opened a store in Columbus, Ohio on West Fifth Avenue and ever since it's grand opening, this Noodles and Company has been thriving. Columbus, Ohio must be a prime market for fresh noodle dishes on the go because each time I've been in the local Noodles & Company the place is packed. Luckily, they have ample parking and fast service so in addition to the reasonable prices, this is a very popular lunch and dinner spot in Columbus.

Noodles & Company is based in Colorado and has chains throughout the West and Midwest, although this particular Noodles & Company in Columbus is the first of its kind. In fact, I can't think of any other restaurant in Columbus that only sells noodle dishes, so this place certainly has found itself a niche. The menu at Noodles & Company offers noodle dishes from three ethnic backgrounds, including Asian, Mediterranean, and American with about 4 choices under each category. Many of the Asian dishes from Noodles & Company are rather spicy and I especially enjoy the Japanese Pan Noodles and the very spicy Thai Curry Soup. Also, when I say spicy, I don't mean in that generic chain-restaurant-tame-spicy kind of way.... I mean, like order a glass of milk with these dishes because they deliver as promised. I must say as well that the spicy Asian dishes at Noodles & Company are just as good as those found at the local Thai restaurant I go to and are served quicker and are great for take-out. There are other spicy dishes in the Mediterranean category, including the Penne Rosa, but they are not incredibly hot. My favorite dish from this section on the menu at Columbus, Ohio's Noodles & Company is the Pesto Cavatappi, which is a very fresh blend of fresh pesto, sun-dried tomato, all of it topped with feta. This is my most frequently-ordered dish at Noodles & Company in Columbus. The American category offers some great selections as well, including the wonderful rich and creamy Mushroom Stroganoff, which is perfect comfort food on a cold dreary day in Columbus. Another popular dish from the American section is the Mac and Cheese, which is the real deal-you can taste the fresh cheeses they put in it and it's always very filling.

Noodles & Company also offers some other non-noodle dishes including soup and salads. For all their dishes you can choose the size of the plate you want; small or regular. The regular order at Noodles and Company is big enough to fill me up completely and believe me, I'm a hungry man with a big appetite so this is really saying something. They also have a trio, which is a meat (chicken, beef, or tofu) noodles, as well as a soup or salad. One of my favorite sides at Noodles and Company are the best damn potstickers in all of Columbus, Ohio. I mean again, just as with the Asian and Thai noodles at this restaurant, these potstickers are on par with some of my favorite Asian dining spots and are quite cheap as well.

Noodles & Company is suited to do very well in Columbus, Ohio, especially at its convenient location on West Fifth Avenue, not far from the many shops and restaurants on nearby Grandview Avenue. It is very reasonably priced with good-sized portions and although there are usually several people there during lunch and dinner rushes, I never feel like I have to wait too long for my food. Although I usually get my food from Noodles and Company to go, they have ample seating in their spacious dining room. My only complaint about Noodles and Company is that they need a more extensive menu, or at least a menu that changes with the seasons. Although it's always nice to know what you want beforehand, having at least one dish that changes on each category would add spice to the menu and would offer more incentive for me to go more often to try something new and perhaps unexpected.