Washington DC

OK, so I’m writing about a chain restaurant, but it’s still relatively new and sometimes there are redeeming qualities to chains, right? Anyway, this particular chain restaurant is Noodles & Company, a place that serves—you’ll never guess—noodles. The noodles portion of the menu features pasta and noodles inspired by Asian, Italian, and American recipes. So you have pad thai, penne rosa, and mac and cheese as possible items to digest. However, lest any dieters panic over the sheer volume of noodles, there are also salads available as well. I like Noodles & Company for two reasons. One, I like noodles. Two, while you might get more authentic-tasting dishes at ethnic restaurants, I like the portion sizes at Noodles & Company. You can get bigger or smaller sizes, and sometimes as a single gal who occasionally gets sick of leftovers but still longs for noodles, portion size can be a determining factor for me. Check the company’s website for locations in Maryland and Virginia. There are none in the District, however. Sorry DC, you get gypped again…

Photo:  Joanna Franco