noodle and coThis past weekend I had the opportunity to get a sneak peak at the new Noodles & Company that is opening July 31st in Garden City. I went with my son and Captain Awesome as well as with our friends and their two kids. I wasn’t sure what to expect since I have never been to a Noodles & Company and I have to tell you that I haven’t ever had a dining experience like it.

Founded in 1995, Noodles & Company is a fast-casual restaurant chain that serves classic noodle and pasta dishes from around the world with 345 locations system wide in 26 states and the District of Columbia. Known as Your World Kitchen, Noodles & Company’s globally inspired menu consists of more than 25 fresh, customizable noodle bowls, salads, soups and sandwiches that are prepared quickly using quality ingredients. From healthy to indulgent, spicy to comforting, the menu provides favorites for everyone from kids to adults. Popular dishes include the sweet and spicy Japanese Pan Noodles, zesty Pesto Cavatappi and creamy Wisconsin Mac & Cheese.

I would say that this restaurant would be considered “fast casual”. You go to the register, place your order and are given a number. Your meal is then brought to your table when it’s ready. You can customize your order as you choose. One thing I found fun was the fact that they serve wine and beer! That is one feature, along with getting your food served to you that makes it feel more “restauranty”. The fast part is that you order your food quickly and it comes to you quickly. A good mix if you ask me. Not to mention that everyone in my group enjoyed what they ordered. We each ordered something different, so we got to try a lot of what Noodles and Company has to offer.

This particular Noodles & Company is set nicely in a great new shopping center. Therefore it’s a perfect spot to take a break from your afternoon or evening of shopping with your family, or your friends. On top of this location Doherty Enterprises plans to open over 20 Noodles & Company locations throughout Long Island, NY.  The company has begun the process to hire approximately 60 local team members to staff its new location at The Gallery at Westbury Plaza and plans on adding hundreds of new jobs to the Long Island area in the coming years.

Noodles & Company’s location at The Gallery at Westbury Plaza will be open Sunday – Thursday 11:00am – 10:00pm, Friday and Saturday 11:00am – 11:00pm. Convenient carry-out, phone-in, fax-in and online orders are available.  Guests may reach the restaurant directly by calling 516-794-4508 or by visiting its website.