Review: Stix (Grilled/Stacked Food on a Stick)

Food Truck Name: Stix
twitter handle: @eatstix
website: http://www.eatstixnow.com/
(only problem I had with the site is that the prices listed under their menu section were not updated to reflect the actual prices listed on their truck)

cost: (cash only)
menu items: (available today in bold)
steak stix - $5
(i.e. dijon tarragon beef, zesty tequila lime, spicy sweet bbq, or rosemary dijon)
chicken stix - $4
(i.e. beer brined bbq, tangy moroccan grape, or jacked up jerk)
shrimp stix - $6
veggie stix - $3
(i.e. seasonal veggies like zucchini & red peppers, caprese, or summer salad)
stix pax - $11 (for beef), $12 (for shrimp)
(one meat and two veggie)
"surf and turf" - $11
(one beef and one shrimp)
fruit stix - $4
(i.e. pineapple strawberry, basil grape, grilled pineapple, grilled pear, or grilled apple)
sweet stix - $2
(i.e. chocolate, lemon, red velvet) 

wait time: The hot day made the line short and the wait even shorter, but with certain items almost seeming to be grilled beforehand, the whole process was sped up considerably from the lengthy wait when they first launched over a month ago.

"stax pax"

"stax pax" unwrapped

I have to say eating at Stix is kind of like eating under the Weight Watchers program.  You're told what a single serving size is and after you're finished, even if the whole thing is delicious, you're still strangely hungry.  Stix, unfortunately, cannot rely on to the filling rice, beans or other similar type of sides that other trucks offer to fill you up.  So, although you might get as much or even more fresh vegetables and meat than what you get from other trucks, you still end up feeling like you're getting the short end of the stick.  I feel it is a problem of price versus portion.  Maybe if they offered more of the vegetable sides, either on the stick or through another stick, then the problem of this perception might be alleviated.

The "stax pax" (see above picture) consisted of a skewer of dijon tarragon beef, some roasted red peppers and zucchini, and roasted potatoes with aoili sauce.  The beef, probably a skirt steak or flank steak cut, was properly sliced to be thin enough to be bite size, but seemed to be almost overcooked and dry.  This was disappointing in that there was a good char on the meat and the seasoning was good with notes of lemon that brightened and mild pepper on the finish.  The roasted vegetables were more of a success with an enjoyable texture and taste that only comes from caramelization.  The roasted potatoes and aoili perfectly compliments each other, though maybe a little sea salt could have been added.

I also tried one of the sweet stix or cake on a stick (see below picture).  The red velvet cake didn't really hold well on the stick and one bite was enough to displace it.  Also, this dessert was about one to two bites, which made it hard to either enjoy or properly critique.  It was very sweet and the cake itself moist to almost to a fault.  Here, the problem of size surfaces again.  It seems like there is a good idea here, but the execution seems to be lacking.

"red velvet cake sweet stix"

Final Verdict: I think Stix offers a healthy and tasty light lunch or snack, but as for a satisfying lunch, it falls short.  If either the price or portions are adjusted in the future, then maybe Stix can properly execute this pretty good idea.  Until then, I can only hope that they get my point and improve for the better.