Audio By Carbonatix
When was the last time you had one of those days that made you wish you’d never been born? You know the kind of day I’m talking about. You get up early because you can’t be late for work. Despite waking up with a crick in your neck so bad that you can’t look straight ahead without turning your whole body, you manage to get out the door on time — but you’re still twenty minutes late, because you have to return to your house three times to get everything you forgot you needed for the day. And once you finally get to work, you’re constantly a step behind because you can’t remember what you have to accomplish. In fact, at any given moment, you may not be able to remember your name correctly. Then helpful co-workers make suggestions that just end up aggravating you more, saying things like “Remember to breathe.” That one pisses you off so much that you just might suffocate to show them how much you appreciate their advice. The only reason you plod on through to the end of the day is because you know there’s some food and light (beer) at the end of the tunnel.
I just had one of those days that makes you consider putting your head in the microwave and ending it all. Too tired to cook and wary of getting near that microwave anyway, I took the family out for a late dinner at the closest Noodles & Company (1502 South Colorado Boulevard). We arrived at 8:56 and panicked when we saw the sign on the door announcing that closing time was 9 p.m. I clearly had a choice to make: Should I hop back in the car and drive into oncoming traffic, or should I beg for food?
Thanks to the great staff at this Noodles, part of a homegrown chain, I didn’t have to do either. They invited us in, took our orders and delivered our meals with warm efficiency. This was the first sign I’d had all day that there might be reason to live. Many a time I’ve stopped by a fast-food joint ten minutes before closing, only to find the doors already locked. And just as many times I’ve seen some pimply teenagers watching me through those locked doors, cackling and giving me the finger. But now, not only had I found a fast-food place that welcomed us right before closing, but it also served beer!
Yes, this Noodles & Company offered a pretty good selection of beer and wine. I can personally recommend Newcastle as a perfect complement to the super-cheesy mac and cheese. Actually, I can recommend several Newcastles as the perfect complement to just about anything. Granted, the food at Noodles is not crafted by Tuscan chefs, but it’s definitely passable.
So the next time I have a day when I wish I’d never been born and want to avoid the microwave as well as any fast-food drive-thru where the workers will probably spit in my food, I’m going to head to Noodles & Company and load up on carbs. If I can get enough beers on board, the frustrations of the preceding 24 hours may just float away. Or get pushed out by the pain of the hangover I’ll suffer through the next 24.
