Here I go again, talking about my favorite animal…the pig!  Noodles & Company reached out to me, not long ago, asking if I would be interested in trying some of their new slow-braised, naturally raised Pork, their treat!  Well of course!  Because if you know me, you know I love me some piggy meat!

I’ve only been to Noodles & Company one other time, and on that day, I actually didn’t order anything for myself, just for my kids.  So I was excited at the opportunity to try it myself.  I went there on a Saturday, for lunch, with three kids in tow.  The place was hopping & after tasting the delicious dishes you see here, I know why!

Cucumber Tomato Salad…a friend said she always orders this when she goes to Noodles & Company and it definitely stood up to that recommendation!  Even though we are in Minnesota, in what seems to be a never-ending winter, the tomatoes were juicy and delicious.  I liked that the cucumbers were cut small and there was just enough red onion to make it a perfect addition.  This starter had some magically delicious seasoning on it that brought the whole dish together.  I might have to see if I can pry that out of someone…

Another favorite of mine was the Potstickers (chicken dumplings) and these were a perfect starter.  Fried crispy on the outside and accompanied by a delicious dipping sauce.  You can order 3 or 6 in an order as well.

Before I made my trip to Noodles & Company, I perused the menu online, as all good food-lovers do, right?  I spied Pad Thai on the menu & knew it would be on my list to try!  The person who took my order, recommended the shrimp with this, but I declined and after the fact, was wishing I would have taken his suggestion!  It was a tasty and light option, great for a quick lunch!  They have a great assortment of Asian dishes, so it will be hard to choose on my next visit.

The last time we visited Noodles & Company, my daughter ordered the Spaghetti & Meatballs and guess what?  My normally adventuresome kid, ordered the same thing!  She remembered how much she liked it before…meaty & moist meatballs in a sauce full of flavor with just the right amount of spice.

The youngest of our group, played it safe & went with the Wisconsin Mac & Cheese…cheddar & jack cheeses melted in cream & served over elbow macaroni.  Well played little one, well played!

My son, the least adventuresome of my two, loves his Buttered Noodles at home, so naturally I let him choose that, as long as he added the Parmesan Chicken to it!  What’s great about Noodles & Company is that they encourage customization and you can add different types of protein to any dish, for example Shrimp, Tofu and of course the new slow-braised Pork!

I saved the best for last!  Remember, the reason I came to Noodles & Company was to try the new Slow Braised Pork…so what better way to try it?  Barbecue Pork Mac….oh yeah!  First, they take their Wisconsin Mac & Cheese and add crispy fried onions, barbecue sauce & the Slow Braised Pork.  People.  Seriously.  This was ridiculously AWESOME!  And I am not just saying that, I wanted to eat more & more!

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the awesome soda dispersing machine they had at this Noodles & Company location.  It’s called the Coca-Cola Freestyle and offers (I have read, but didn’t actually verify…) 125 Coca-Cola drink products.  It’s basically a high-tech, touchscreen soda fountain!  My kids thought it was the coolest thing since sliced bread…okay maybe since the iPod…and apparently so did everyone else, as I had to wait in line, just to take a quick picture!

In addition to the Barbecue Pork Mac, you can get the Peppery Pork Sandwich, which also features the slow-braised Pork.  Or as mentioned before, add the Pork to any of your favorite Noodles & Company dishes!

UPDATE:  I got a note from the nice people I am working with, on this review & I get to GIVEAWAY two vouchers for you to enjoy Noodles & Company!!  Just leave a comment below, or on my Facebook Page and I will randomly draw a winner tomorrow night!  (3-22-13)

They were also nice enough to share the following recipes with us, for you to try at home!

Thanks for “virtually” tagging along & I hope you’ll visit your neighborhood (find locations here) Noodles & Company soon to try the delicious slow-braised Pork!

Cheers ~ Shawn

• 1 pint cream
• 6 oz cheese (your choice)
• 1 Tb. Butter
• 1 Tb. flour
• ½ tsp. Truffle oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

• 1 lb. Macaroni noodles, cooked and drained according to box directions
• 16 oz.  Mushrooms (your choice) sautéed in 1 oz. butter until golden brown
• 6 oz. Parmesan or Italian blend shredded cheese
• 1 cup Toasted bread crumbs

• Mix the butter and flour together in your hands and set aside.
• Bring the cream to a low simmer in a thick bottomed pot.
• Add the butter/ flour blend and stir with a whisk until smooth and slightly thickened (about 5 minutes)
• Take the pot off the heat, add the cheese and truffle oil and whisk until smooth, season to taste.
• Mix with macaroni noodles and top with mushrooms, cheese and breadcrumbs

Backyard Barbecue Chicken Salad ~ Recipe for the Home Chef

Serves 4 regular salads or 6-8 small sides

Ingredients:

12 oz. bag of mixed lettuce

8 oz. shredded mixed cabbage, red and green

¾ cup cole slaw dressing

4 chicken breasts, cooked, shredded, cooled

½  cup of your favorite BBQ sauce

¾ cup tomatoes, diced

¾ cup corn

1/8 cup red cabbage

 BBQ Chicken Preparation:

Bake 4 chicken breasts, completely cool and then shred into bite sized pieces.  In a bowl mix together the chicken and ½ cup BBQ sauce.

Assemble:

Mix the lettuce, cabbage (keeping 1/8 cup of red cabbage aside for garnish) and cole slaw dressing in a large bowl.

Place the BBQ chicken, corn and tomatoes on top of the mixed greens, forming the points of a triangle in the center of the salad.

Place the 1/8 cup of red cabbage in the center of the triangle to garnish, enjoy!

Disclaimer~

I was given two vouchers good for two noodle bowls and paid for the rest of my delicious meal on my own. The opinions here are my own and most of the information I didn’t get upon my visit, I found by searching the Noodles & Company website and their online menu & nutritional information.