Chain Restaurant Veggie Friendly

[Guest guest]

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=1458 & u_sid=1061287

 

Published Friday

April 9, 2004

 

Noodles an oasis of carbs

 

BY JOHN KEENAN

 

 

WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

 

With everybody and his Labrador retriever on the Atkins diet, it seems

like an odd time to open Nothing But Noodles.

 

Nothing But Noodles offers items such as, clockwise from bottom, Spicy

Japanese noodle bowl, Basil Pesto with bow-tie pasta and Cranberry Spinach

Salad.

 

But manager Tab Newman said the restaurant's eight salads and other

options offer an Atkins-friendly meal.

 

Still, the restaurant's offerings are pasta-heavy with 19 noodle dishes,

including four on the children's menu.

 

The restaurant, at 171st Street and West Center Road, is a franchise. The

Arizona-based company has more than 100 restaurants open or in development

in 16 states.

 

Diners order at the counter, then get a number to display on their table.

The food is out quick.

 

The place is vegetarian friendly. Except for beef stroganoff, all the

salads and noodle dishes are meatless, although slices of chicken breast

or beef strips can be added.

Nothing But NoodlesWhere: 2559 S. 171st Court

 

Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Friday and Saturday

 

Prices: Appetizers $1.95 to $4.95; entrees $4.49 to $6.89

 

Alcohol: Beer, small wine list

 

Payment: Credit cards, no checks

 

Wheelchair accessible: Yes

 

Smoking section: No

 

Information: 884-2420

 

 

 

The meat is a cornerstone of the restaurant's efforts to appeal to the

Atkins dieter, Newman said.

 

" We have our low-carb menu out now. It's basically our sauces with meats

added, not served on noodles, " he said.

 

Because of a number of requests for whole-grain noodles, the restaurant

may add them, Newman said.

 

Not an Atkins man myself, I was more than happy to order the restaurant's

" Spicy Cajun " noodle bowl ($5.79), featuring fettuccine with a

Cajun-influenced sauce of sautéed onions, peppers and tomatoes.

 

For $1.85 more, I added some heft to the meal with grilled chicken breast.

The sauce flavored the chicken as well as the noodles, but the chicken

seemed a touch dry.

 

My wife's order of Basil Pesto ($5.99) was a bowl of bow-tie pasta coated

in a buttery cream sauce. Other flavorings came from mushroom slices,

chopped tomato, minced garlic, a host of Italian spices and a sprinkling

of Parmesan cheese.

 

Both pasta bowls were a gracious plenty.

 

We also ordered off the restaurant's skimpy starter selection, choosing

the Thai lettuce wraps ($4.95) over the fresh mozzarella drizzled with

olive oil and balsamic vinegar or the cucumber salad.

 

A lettuce wrap is fun to eat, and Nothing But Noodles offers a pleasant

version. The lettuce " shells " were crisp and cold, and the filling -

chicken, fresh jicama, button mushrooms, carrots and red bell peppers -

was delicious, especially with the tangy Thai peanut sauce.

 

The main courses arrived a bit too quickly. We hadn't gotten halfway

through the lettuce wraps, leading to a crowded table. But that was little

more than a service hiccup. My main course was still hot when I started it.

 

The children ordered off the kids' menu: Alfredo, macaroni and cheese,

butter noodles and curly pasta in tomato sauce.

 

My daughter loved the creamy Alfredo sauce ($2.65, with an adult serving

at $5.69), but my son, who chowed down his tomato sauce-drenched pasta ($2.

45), was rather stymied by the added meat ($1.25). Lean beef strips

instead of meatballs left him cold.

 

The restaurant offers a small dessert menu with Key lime pie, New York

cheesecake and other options.

 

The chocolate chip cannoli ($3.45) was a bit surprising. Expecting a

pudding in the pastry tube, I was pleased to find a less sweet filling

with ricotta cheese, a more authentic Italian recipe. The chocolate chips

provide bursts of sweetness.

 

At ages 4 and 5, my children thought cotton candy in a cup ($1) was too

cool for words.

 

The total for the meal, before tip, was $40.91. My family had a lot of fun,

the staff was friendly, and the food was served promptly. We'd go back.

 

Contact the Omaha World-Herald newsroom

 

©2004 Omaha World-Herald. All rights reserved. Copyright | Terms of Use |

Privacy Questions? Comments? Suggestions? webmaster

 

 

 

" If words were wisdom I'd be talking even more. "

-- " Not You " by Offspring on IXNAY FOR THE HOMBRE