Archive for 'Nooï'

Hello Pasta vs. Nooi: A Midtown Pasta Chain Showdown

Nooi, a French pasta chain opens in MidtownHello Pasta front door

In Midtown, we’re used to the sight of fast food joints, generic “design your own salad” bars, and gimmicky interpretations of pizza. But when Hello Pasta (Lex btw. 54+55th) and Nooi (Lex btw. 40+41st), two expansion-hungry fast food pasta chains, opened within walking distance and a week of each other, it caught our attention. As skeptical as we are about fast food pasta, a Midtown Lunch Ultimate Taste Test Pasta Showdown to the death clearly was in order. Who’s pasta is worth its salt? Which sauce to get and which ones should they pour down the drain? Or do we declare a double TKO, and send both of these chains back to where they came from. The answer is after the jump…

Read more »

French Pasta Chain Nooï Is Now Open

Nooi, a French pasta chain opens in Midtown

With all the fuss made over the opening of Hello Pasta, we were surprised that the other empire-building chain, Nooï (on Lex btw 40+41st), opened this week, entering the pasta-to-go fray pretty quietly. Unlike Hello Pasta, which is completely new, Nooï is a French import with branches across France and Belgium. Obviously, the US was a natural next step to taking over the world… Read more »

Zaro’s Bakery to Become French Pasta Chain?

Zaro's Bakery closed

Earlier this week we heard the new that Hello Pasta will launch its fast food pasta empire in Midtown this June, and was so distracted by the imminent arrival of “the Starbucks or Pinkberry of pasta” we neglected to mention Nooï, a French import and the OTHER fast food pasta chain that’s moving in this summer. Early reports place the soon-to-come Nooï at 41st and Lexington so, naturally, I went looking for it. With Pret a Manger dominating one corner and Cafe Metro, Barami clothing store, and Everyday Gourmet Deli swallowing the others, it was hard to tell where French pasta would fit in. The only vacant-looking spot was the recently shuttered Zaro’s Bakery location on 41st btw. Lex & Park, which looked pretty sad under scaffolding. We’ll keep our eyes peeled for the new place, but let us know if you find it first. In any case, prepare yourself for a fast food pasta face-off! (Yum?)