I walked into the Twisted Noodle’s wide, red and yellow dining room on a chilly Thursday night and the first thing that grabbed my attention was the large menu above the register.

In addition to pasta, the Twisted Noodle, located at the intersection of City Park Avenue and Elizabeth Street, offers soup, salads and sandwiches. I also noticed that the tiny noodle icon on the restaurant’s sign is actually the mascot: Twisty. 

Twisty is essentially a noodle with eyes and a mouth that’s rising from a plate of pasta and slurping up another noodle.

I was admittedly a little creeped out by Twisty, but a restaurant’s value should be based on their food and service and not on how disturbing or cannibalistic their mascot is.

At any rate, I ordered off the “Twisty’s Favorites” menu: pasta with a tomato cream sauce with sausage and mushrooms.

This seemed like a good dish that would test the basics but also give me a taste of one of the Twisted Noodle’s signature dishes.

As I looked around the room, I saw tables occupied by a mix of people. There were some older couples, some students and an above-average amount of kids.

I wasn’t surprised though, given the restaurant’s cartoon mascot and plethora of kid-friendly dishes.

The entrée and a fountain drink came to a grand total of $11.53, which seemed a little expensive to me, but I decided to wait and see what the money actually got me before I passed any judgment.

The food came quickly and it was more than I expected, which partially explained the price. As far as taste goes, it was good overall. There was a good ratio of noodles to sauce and everything tasted fine – just normal. There was nothing wrong but nothing that stood out either.

The service was also mediocre. However, a waitress did come by after my food arrived and asked if I’d like parmesan or red pepper flakes, which I thought was a nice gesture.

If you’re looking for dinner on a busy weeknight, the Twisted Noodle is a good choice. It’s quick and convenient, and even though it’s not the cheapest dinner around, you get something filling and tasty.

For a night out, a date or a dinner that requires something a little more sophisticated, your palette’s needs would  be best met elsewhere.

Collegian A&E reporter Rachel Fountain can be reached at entertainment@collegian.com or on Twitter @rachelcfountain.