Trying to offer a new kind of fast food can be tricky. First, it has to be fast. Second, it has to be flavorful. Third, it has to be cheap. Sadly, Skewerz only scores on two of these criteria – just barely.
We received most of our meal within five minutes of having ordered it. Unfortunately, it was the main part, the meat and fish. The fried edamame skewer, the part that we would have liked as an appetizer didn’t arrive until we were mostly finished with the main course.
But it was no great loss, the fried edamame – perhaps the most audaciously creative thing on the menu at Skewerz – was a bust. Imagine mashing up edamame until it’s a paste with the consistency of hummus, molding it into the shape of a sausage, putting it on a stick like a corn dog and deep frying it. What you end up with is a breathtakingly uninteresting wad of green stuff whose only virtue is the marginal flavor imparted by the fried casing.
A lack of flavor is endemic at Skewerz, which is surprising because offerings like filet mignon with a side of red curry peanut sauce seem to promise so much. In fact the filet mignon, which is basically seven chunks of steak about the size of a man’s knuckles lined up on a stick, lacked savor. Sort of like a cheap cut of steak at the old Ponderosa. It pleaded for the sauce to liven it up, but the red curry peanut sauce fell short. It baffles me how anyone can make red curry peanut sauce that lacks fire and dash, but they’ve managed it here.
The salmon fared a little better in the flavor department but only if you didn’t mask it with the mango chili sauce, a dipping sauce that seemed to promise enhancement but instead detracted from what little flavor there was and provided zero spice.
On the side were two small white cartons of rice, one white, one long grain with raisins, both spectacularly uninteresting, a bit dry and difficult to serve out considering you receive no plate at Skewers, just a half-pipe of bamboo with a piece of paper in it. It wasn’t worth the trouble to eat it.
As underwhelming as the food at Skewerz is you pay a fairly high price. Our meal, sans alcohol (they don’t have a liquor license) set us back $30. That’s pretty dear for fast food. The only other qualities that could substantiate it were the kitschy island décor consisting mostly of bamboo furniture and tiki masks, and the friendly folks behind the counter.
Maybe they rack up the majority of their sales late at night when Double Door and Subterranean disgorge hungry concert goers into the street in front of Skewerz. And maybe if you’re half in the bag and suffering the munchies Skewerz tastes awesome.
But than so does Underdog, at a fraction of the price.
Skewerz
1560 N. Damen
773-276-9805 / Reservations Not Accepted
Hours: M-Th 11am-1pm; F-Sa 11am-3am; Su 11am-1am
Features: Outdoor Dining, BYOB, Late Night Dining, Carryout, Delivery
Avg price of a meal for two including drinks and tax $30.00
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