Colo.-based Noodles & Company taps Tempe for expansion

Noodles & Company will open its first Arizona store at Tempe Marketplace on Tuesday, April 14.

It's one of two Colorado-based fast-casual concepts coming to the outdoor mall this spring and their first venture in the state. Mad Greens is slated to open in May.

Noodles & Company offers a mix of Asian, Mediterranean and American noodles and pastas, such as pad Thai, spaghetti with meatballs and buttered noodles.

Like other fast-casual chains, its dishes are customizable. Diners who don't want mushrooms in the Pesto Cavatappi can get fungi-free pasta. They can add shrimp to the vegetarian Bangkok Curry, or double the steak portions in the stroganoff.

The menu ranges "from healthful to indulgent," said Keith Kinsey, president and chief operating officer.

One of Kinsey's favorite dishes is Penne Rosa, pasta topped with mushrooms, tomato and spinach in a spicy tomato cream sauce. He adds Parmesan-crusted chicken. A best-seller is the Wisconsin Mac & Cheese, elbow macaroni covered in a blend of Cheddar and Jack cheeses with cream.

The carb-phobic crowd can eat at Noodles & Company, too. Along with salads and soups, the menu featurese protein bowls, called Buff Bowls. They swap out pasta for spinach as the base, include twice the vegetables as the noodle dishes and come with steak, chicken, pork or tofu.

"It's not that noodles are bad," Kinsey said of the newly introduced protein bowls. "It's our way of teaching people about the ultimate customization we can do in the restaurant. It's not like we had to bring in a new piece of equipment; we wanted to bring a different option for people who don't want to have the noodles."

Noodles & Company was founded in 1995. The publicly traded company (NASDAQ:NDLS) has more than 450 locations, including franchises and company-owned stores, across the U.S.

A second branch is expected to open in the coming months in the Deer Valley area. Several other options for expansion throughout metro Phoenix are being explored, Kinsey said.

Meanwhile, Mad Green's second branch is scheduled to open in June at Scottsdale Road and Acoma Drive in Scottsdale.

Details: Tempe Marketplace, Loop 202 and McClintock Drive. 480-921-3500, noodles.com.