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Restaurant Sat Aug 23 2008
Skewers of Tofu
I hadn't thought much of Skewerz, perhaps because I still yearned for Half & Half, previously at this location, where I loved meeting friends for coffee and granola in the morning. Skewerz pleasantly surprised me a bit, despite the corny look of the chairs - made of bamboo or bamboo-like sticks that seem superficially tied together with rope - which appears consistent with the overall theme. That all said, the amazing look of their grilled artichoke was backed up by the women eating it and raving, upon my inquiry, about it being "really, really, really good." There may have been a fourth or fifth "maybe."
The small round tomatoes on my vegetable skewers were bursting with hot and juicy flavor, while the mushroom caps were nicely tender and salted, and the onion slices pleasantly crisp and refreshing. The tofu was relatively plain, but firm and nicely charred. The fried rice was a tad dry, but gladly not oily, and its raisins added a nice sweet touch. The red curry peanut sauce is vegan, mild and thick. The staff member helping us seemed quite well versed in the ingredient contents of all the sauces - not to mention raving about the healthiness of the grapeseed oil they use. It was all good, but the highlight of the experience was seeing a well-heeled and nicely groomed couple, sitting a few places down, drinking two bottles of the Stella they had brought, with their other four bottles in a bucket of ice. I'll be planning a return for their yucca fries with banana ketchup, gilled baby bok choy and the smoothies, and perhaps my own six pack on ice. BYOB. 1560 N. Damen. (773) 276-9805. El: Blue Line to Damen. Bus: 50 Damen, 56 Milwaukee, 72 North.
Rita Brunn / August 23, 2008 10:03 PM
I'm looking forward to tasting those tofu kabobs!