Elite Experience: Noodles & Company Tasting 2

Noodles & Company is quickly becoming a favorite of mine and this tasting really added to my growing affection for this place. Our group got to sample a lot — A LOT — of dishes but their menu is so extensive that it seemed like we didn’t cover even nearly a third. The food is fresh, creative and filling. We got to try two different flatbreads, a salad, several entrées and even one of their giant rice crispy treats. The people who run the Louisville locations are passionate about food and good customer service. This was a fun event that just made me want to keep coming back for more Noodles!

What a great event and selection! I loved everything we were served. I loved how Marcus would hear people’s thoughts and he’d bring them a sample of something special.
My favorite was the beef stroganoff and that surprised me so much because it’s such a plain overly used cheap dinner growing up. I made some myself not too long ago with a sherry based sauce like theirs, but mine was nowhere as savory and delicious as theirs.
The macaroni and cheeses were off the chain! I never thought he going to quit bringing dishes.
I was so glad I got to bring home some stroganoff and a rice Krispy treat «for the children». Thanks again, Emily and Marcus!

Most everything has been said already but I’d just like to add it was cool to see how passionate Markus is about what he does and how much he believes in it. It made me a bit jealous!
As for the food, there was lots of it and almost everything was great. My favorites were probably the Penne Rosa which has a nice kick to it and the plum and pork pita thing which I can’t remember what it’s actually called! If you were there you’d understand!
Thanks Emily!

Thank you Emily for organizing another wonderful Elite event!
Prior to attending this event, I have just been mildly amused with the concept of Noodles and Co. But since I’m the only one in the family who likes noodles, I thought I’d never get the chance to try the vast menu. This Elite Experience was perfect for me! Marcus the presenter is thoroughly knowledgeable with the menu and very much hands on with presenting and producing the products. Throughout the event, we were also presented with clean plates for each course.
Out of all of the items he presented to us, my favorites were the Fig and Pig Flat Bread, Penne Rosa and the Japanese Pan Noodles. While everything else I tried seemed a bit bland to me, these three items had the most pronounced, spot-​on flavors described by the menu. The Japanese noodles were the best surprise of them all. They were sufficiently chewy but not hard – a sign of good noodles and good cooking techniques. I will be back for more of these noodles!

I admit that I do sometimes like cramming my gullet. Deep within my doughy exterior lives an all-​too-​real memory of a poor, skinny kid in his 20s that craves all-​you-​can-​eat. In this case, All I Could Eat was a lot less than all we were served. I’d describe this as a dim sum experience, but I’m pretty sure dim sum means *small* plates.
Anyway, it’s the morning after (I skipped breakfast), and I can’t say that I feel regret. My faves? The Japanese Pan dish (the udon noodles were a revelation) and the Stroganoff. Half the fun was hearing Marcus boast about the chain — he is nothing if not enthusiastic about food preparation.
I’ll freely admit to skepticism about restaurant chains, especially anything described as «fast casual». But it was great to get a dose of Noodles & Co propaganda, a reconciliation of mass production, taste, and price point, a culinary equivalent to the political «Third Way». I’ll definitely be back, assuming I’m hungry again one day.

This event was fantastic. I’m not really sure what I expected, but what we were served wasn’t it. I have to admit I’m biased when it comes to chain restaurants. In general, I’m just not a fan of them. Sure, I’ll go to them when someone else makes the suggestion, or to try a new one just to see what it’s like, but for the most part I’m a shop local girl. That’s not to say there aren’t any chains that are good, it’s just my preference to stay outside that box as much as possible. And last night I felt like Noodles & Company is trying to move outside of that box with me.
I really enjoyed hearing Marcus talk about the company. Seeing how passionate he is about his work, and what the company does with food, was really refreshing. I enjoyed hearing his preferences from the menu and about dishes he’s seen do well, and not so well. And seeing him actually make a dish from the menu was really cool!
While I’m sure we all wish most restaurants would use super fresh ingredients and actually care about the food they’re serving, unfortunately I think that’s often not the case with chains. So, it was refreshing to see one charting this unexplored territory and actually trying to serve made-​to-​order high quality food in a fast-​casual setting.
All of that, plus that Buffalo mac was bomb. Oh, and I ate that rice crispy as soon as I got home (I didn’t care how full I was) and it was amazing!

Sometimes, I do silly things. Like having a fairly big lunch on the day I knew I would be at the Noodles & Co Unilocal Elite Event (part deux) that evening. And even sillier knowing exactly what this event would entail, being that I had attended the first one, and knew that this was essentially like an 8-​course meal. Of Noodles. Lots of noodles.
Don’t get me wrong, I finished every bite, because it was all delicious, but I somewhat regret the gluttony. Nonetheless, I wouldn’t have passed on this chance to try the Hurstbourne Noodles & Co. and I can confidently say both events were excellent and remarkably consistent. Marcus puts on a show that’s both informative and enthusiastic. His passion for his product shines through. Kudos to him and the staff.
And the topper to this event that the Paddock Shops Noodles couldn’t accommodate was the opportunity to see a little food preparation in the kitchen. Nicely done!
Last but not least this made for a nice final farewell to fellow Louisville Unilocalers, Anastasia & Jason. Gonna miss seeing you guys at these little gatherings, but will be following your exploits in KC! Stay in touch, gang & keep an eye on the weather, Mr. Milosevic, I mean, Jason ;-)