Located on Preston Avenue, Sticks Kebob Shop is a dining destination for those in the mood for quick and easy food that skewers increasingly commercialized burrito and sandwich options with its bold spices and flavors.
Upon entering the restaurant, customers are presented with a three-part system to create a meal. The first step is “Pick-A-Stick,” which may prove to be a much more challenging task than you might expect. You must choose from among eight kebob options, served on either a salad ($6.67 to $8.25), platter ($7.49 to $8.99) or grilled flatbread sandwich ($5.49 to 7.49). Each choice of kebob seems just as tasty as the next, so deciding between the “chili-spiked beef sirloin,” “lemon-garlic shrimp” and “rosemary-rubbed leg of lamb” is impossible, almost. After much consideration, I decided on the chicken breast with fresh herbs, although for an extra $3.50, you can easily “double down!” with an extra skewer of choice. For veggie lovers, there is also a “mixed garden vegetables with basil oil” option.
The second step asks customers to “fix it up,” choosing from among several homemade sauces including cucumber-yogurt, fire-roasted red pepper, sesame-lemon vinaigrette and creamy cilantro-lime. Though they all sounded equally enticing, as a spicy food lover, I went with the fire-roasted red pepper sauce.
The third and final step, “Pick-A-Side,” offers up to nine unique sides. At first, it seemed as though the roasted eggplant salad was calling my name. But in the end I went with traditional hummus.
As if these choices weren’t enough, Sticks also offers your choice of flavored limeade, from which I chose the mango flavor. After paying, our skewers were prepared fresh, right in front of us.
While waiting for our food to be prepared, I took in the relaxing environment. The contemporary feel of the restaurant almost reminded me of a Panera with a Mediterranean punch.
Anticipation built until our number was finally called about five minutes later — not much of a wait, but it can feel like forever on an empty stomach. As I walked back to our table with my platter full of delight, the aroma of enticing herbs wafted from the plate to my noise, and I knew I would be making the same trip many more times in the future.
After my first bite of the six-piece chicken skewer, I decided it was well worth the wait. Lightly seasoned with the perfect combination of zesty flavors, the chicken is moist and utterly delectable. With a fork full of the herbed basmati rice that comes with the platter option, there is an even better subtle yet pleasant effect.
The two pieces of grilled flatbread that are also included in the platter are just right for dipping into the hummus. Hummus is a side dish I often consider to be bland, but that day my taste buds were kept busy with a multitude of pleasing garlicky flavors.
As I continued to chow down, I realized I had nearly forgotten the homemade sauce. I spooned some out of its mini cup and mixed it in with the rice. The creamy sauce added a savory yet sweet taste to the perfectly buttered rice.
As I enjoyed my meal, I decide I wanted to add an extra kick of spice. Where the skewers are prepared sits a bottle of what looks like a pepper sauce with a stack of mini containers sitting next to it. Just a little addition was the perfect amount of kick I was looking for
Between bites, my mango limeade provided just the right balance of sweet and tangy refreshment from what was becoming a fairly spicy meal, thanks to the additional pepper sauce I added.
After I finished my meal, I noticed other features on the menu I may take advantage of the next time I visit — and there will definitely be a next time. One option customers can try is the “side sampler,” which offers your choice of four of the six homemade sides alongside herbed basmati rice and grilled flatbread for the reasonable price of $6.99.
If you’re not in the mood for a heavy meal, you can order a small single side for $1.79-$1.99 or a large single side for $3.49-$3.69. There are also more traditional side options for those not in a daring mood, such as french fries and onion rings for $1.99 and $2.49, respectively.
Though my dining experience at Sticks was largely positive, one disappointment was portion size. As someone who appreciates large portions, I was not satisfied with the amount of food my platter contained. For future dining experiences, I now know to “double down.”
After my first experience at Sticks, I predict (and hope!) it will be sticking around for the long haul — or at the very least until I graduate.
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