Noodles & Company

The tag line for Noodles & Company is "Noodles, Salads & Sandwiches from around the world."  The restaurant serves up a variety of comforting food that ranges from healthy, leaner fare to the indulgent with its mac 'n cheese dishes. Each dish is around $7.  I was invited to test out their grown-up macaroni & cheese at my nearest location and here is what I found.

I have been to a Noodles & Company before and had always stuck to the same food genre- Thai.  I love it, it's simple with complex flavors and can be a bit healthier than a bowl full of macaroni and cheese or other pasta dishes.  I feel like if the place is called Noodles & Company then that is what I am going to have when I eat there. 

This time I brought a friend and we tried the Chili Mac and the Bacon Mac & Cheeseburger.  My first thought was that it sounded a lot like a boxed one dish meal.  However, each dish is topped with a large amount of fresh vegetables like tomatoes, green onions and more.  The green onions adds zip and is the best part of both dishes, I think.  The crispy bacon on the Bacon Mac & Cheeseburger is perfect too.  Both dishes are pure comfort food.  They are substantial in flavor and fill you up.  Great for a cold or rainy day and for sharing.  The Chili Mac is loaded with red chili meatballs that are crumbled over the cheesy pasta that is al dente and not mushy and overdone.  The kick in this dish is spot on and the combination of cheddar-jack cheese and green onions kept me coming back for more forkfuls. 

I don't normally think of going to Noodles & Company when I am out because my closest location is not in a path I typically travel but I think after trying more of the menu I will head over there now for a nice change.  The kids loved the place and the staff was friendly each time I have gone.  It's casual and a good place to grab a bite, catch up with a friend and take the kids. They also have a nice variety of Vegan and Gluten-Free options.

MPR Rating:  Three Stars.

Disclaimer:  MPR was not paid for this post.  Meals were given by Noodles & Company for review purposes only.  Opinions are MPR's own.


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P.F. Chang's Debuts New Children's Menu

Eating out with children can be a real challenge. Especially when they morph into picky eaters like my 3 year-old. Picky eaters who only want to eat at restaurants that serve gloppy, neon-colored macaroni and cheese. P.F. Chang's has just launched a new first time ever Kids Menu and we were asked to review it. I could hardly wait.

Timing is everything with kids so we decided to head out to an early weekend lunch when the kids were rested and the restaurant would not be crowded. If a meltdown happened or a child threw some food it would not be so disastrous. Having eaten at P.F. Chang's in the past I know what their food is like, however I have not ventured there with kids. I was curious to see what this new menu would be like. Prior to our visit I joked to a friend that I better not see any chicken nuggets with sweet and sour dipping sauce on the menu.

We were seated in the comfortable dining room and immediately both kids begin to take in the sights and sounds. The three year old loved the murals and her kiddie cat menu. I had to steer her away from the coloring activities a few times just to figure out what she wanted to eat. The Kid Menu consists of four choices (Baby Buddha's Feast-the vegetarian choice, Chicken Fried Rice, Kid's Lo Mein and Kid's Chicken). It is short and to the point and I was grateful for that. It makes it real easy for little ones to order for themselves without having to remember different sides, sauces, etc. So yes, I was correct the Kid's Chicken comes with sweet and sour dipping sauce. I guess the joke is on me. My kid ordered it too but with the honey sauce on the side. I ordered a Baby Buddha's Feast to round it out and add some vegetables and rice to the mix.

When the food arrived my daughter dug right in. Shortly after her first bite she said to her father, "This is so yummy! Have some! You have to trrrrry it!!" He did and so did I. I admit to being pleasantly surprised too. Instead of the typical fried little nuggets of chicken most kids get at restaurants the P.F. Chang's Kid's Chicken consists of lightly battered chicken that is juicy, tender and has a hint of ginger to it. I wanted to eat a few more myself. The soy/honey sauce was a great accompaniment as well. Since then I have had to make it for my daughter at home on more than one occasion. The Baby Buddha's Feast has broccoli, carrots and snap peas in it and it was crisp and flavorful. The baby loved it and kept trying to swipe more off the plate.

Once we were finished with the whole meal, including three mini desserts (perfect for kids!), I asked the three year-old what she thought of the entire meal and restaurant experience. She proclaimed it, "Good!" with lots of enthusiasm. She's three, that's four stars in her book. She actually really enjoyed using the chopsticks, seeing the giant stone horse outside and trying all the foods. I think the added S'more dessert made her day. Not once during the whole visit did we have a huffy, cranky-pants meltdown either.

Overall I found the P.F. Chang's Kids Menu to be a big hit. There is something for everyone, prices are affordable ($3-5 for kids meals) for the kids and there are some great deals going on for adults right now too. Even better is that it is a bit more on the adult side in terms of atmosphere and style and yet it makes room for the little ones. There's good food, good service and it is all there for the whole family. A great lunch was had by all and now we have another option when it comes to dining out with the kids. One that doesn't involve fries or macaroni and cheese too.

Thank you to P.F. Chang's and the Fair Oaks, VA staff for making it a memorable experience. We enjoyed getting to know your restaurant again in a whole new way.

MPR Rating: Five Stars.

Garden Kitchen

This is for all you Virginia is for Lovers out there- or the "Hey! I just live here's".

A tiny little restaurant expanded into the dinner hour this week. The Garden Kitchen in Occoquan. While already a great place for an afternoon snack of sinfully delicious pies or a great lunch of chicken salad, the Garden Kitchen has proved itself worthy enough for dinnertime.

My group consisted of five people and we all ordered different menu items from appetizers to soup, salads, entrees and dessert. We were seated promptly by the owner and led to a corner table. The dining area was now set up with tiny tea light candles and white tablecloths. Soft lighting brightened the cozy room. After perusing the menu for a bit we placed our order and our food was brought to us in a decent amount of time. Our water glasses always full. I tried the Round Hill Chardonnay and found it to be mellow and easy on the palate. The cream of brocolli soup was thick with fresh chunks of brocolli and even a green bean or two. A slice of parmasean cheese topped it. It was quite good. As was the fresh mesculn greens salad with a tart but tasty house vinaigrette. My friends found the artichoke spinach dip with french bread divine. The chicken quesadilla appetizer which doesn't quite fit the foods on the rest of the menu was also praised. The chicken caesar salad had some still pink chicken but it was promptly taken care of and brought back. That was one kink in the evening. No one wants to treat themselves to salmonella. The lemon chicken went over well and was cooked properly.



Exquisite presentation of the food is definetly a part of Garden Kitchen. Each dish whether soup, salad or entree is put together beautifully and artistically. This is something that is really lacking in the PW county area. An area ripe with chains and lacking in taste and quality when it comes to dining. It was refreshing to find it at the tucked away Garden Kitchen. The chef, Frederic Jobin of Quebec, comes to each table to chat with guests and that is truly a nice touch.

While this small dining establishment, which has been around since 1974, will have to iron out some new opening snafu's I think it will do incredibly well with it's service. It is soothing. It will be great in the upcoming warm months to eat on the terrace. The selection of wine and spirits works well with the food. Garden Kitchen's dinner hours brings something new to this neck of the dining woods; a touch of class.

The Garden Kitchen provides breakfast, lunch, dinner and catering services. The bakery located inside is known for it's authentic and scrumptious fares already. It is great for a quiet night out or informal dining. I highly recommend it. So go to downtown Occoquan and find it at 404 Mill St.