In today's society, the term 'fast food' is often associated with greasy, fried, unhealthy food. Companies like McDonald's, Burger King, and Wendy's quickly capitalized on this term and often prided themselves on having the highest-calorie item ever, not to mention the one most likely to give someone a heart-attack just by looking at it.
While many families in America consume an incredibly large amount of fast food, I was lucky enough to grow up with daily varied home-cooked meals, from decadent Italian delicacies to traditional South Indian specialties. Fast food was special, something we only got our hands on during an evening outing or a road trip (complete with gummy bears and Kit-Kats). Even then, my parents would ensure that we were eating our fruits and vegetables, taking us to Subway or Burger King, where we would order veggie whoppers with extra lettuce and tomatoes.
Photo Credit: [Free Is My Life]
While many families in America consume an incredibly large amount of fast food, I was lucky enough to grow up with daily varied home-cooked meals, from decadent Italian delicacies to traditional South Indian specialties. Fast food was special, something we only got our hands on during an evening outing or a road trip (complete with gummy bears and Kit-Kats). Even then, my parents would ensure that we were eating our fruits and vegetables, taking us to Subway or Burger King, where we would order veggie whoppers with extra lettuce and tomatoes.
Photo Credit: [FindTheBest]
The beginning of the 21st century brought with it a whole new philosophy in America--fresh, organic, local food. Restaurants had to up their ante if they wanted business any more. In came, the sandwiches at Subway with less than 6 grams of fat, the low calorie parfaits at McDonald's, and my personal favorite, the frozen yogurt craze.
Photo Credit: [timesunion.com]
Soon, restaurants started opening that had a new philosophy altogether. Instead of customizing certain items to fit healthy lifestyles, why not just make every item on the menu a 'healthy' one? From this thought, new generation 'fast food' restaurants like Chipotle and Noodles & Company were born: restaurants where every item was guaranteed to feel fresh and taste amazing. Considering that every main dish was vegetarian, I was the first one in line :).
Best Noodles & Co in town--Carmel, IN
Photo Credit: [Noodles & Co.]--noodles.com
I've traversed the globe in this restaurant, trying dishes from the far East and the far West. But after about four visits, I was hooked to one particular concoction that I've ordered every visit since:
Bangkok Curry with Organic Tofu
Now before you come and tell me that there is NO WAY that a fast food restaurant could make something so healthy and fresh, I'm going to have to tell you that what you see here, is true. Every dish on the menu contains fresh, unique ingredients, from colorful bell peppers to herbacious basil pesto.
Some other items to check out while you're stopping by?
Thai Curry Soup: Spicy and Tangy, with a little kick
Creamy feta, kalamata olives, and crunchy red onions
While Noodles & Company definitely classifies as 'fast food' by cranking out their dishes in precisely 7 minutes or less, it manages to bring gourmet food to its tables, slowly closing the gap and bringing quality food one step closer to the people of America.
OMG How do you find the time to write all this? Its really good and very interesting. I really like your blog so far. Keep it up!
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