Chix Charbroil Grill

"Beef or chicken?" That's the cliche of airline in-flight meal choices -- back when airlines still routinely served meals to their passengers. In a cramped airline galley at 30,000 feet, it's hard to offer passengers much choice, so why not choose the two most popular protein sources in the American diet? Chix Charbroil Grill, a restaurant in Tempe, seems to be copying the airline menu concept, admittedly with better results than typically encountered in coach class. Chix offers just two menu choices: beef ribeye or chicken. Both come seasoned with a teryiaki-like marinade, labeled just as "the Sauce," and are available in bowls with rice or as part of plates with rice and sides. Vegetables, mainly a mix of broccoli and carrots, can be added to either type of meat.

Given the minimalist menu, it's not surprising that the decor is also sparse. Chix occupies a storefront in the Tempe Towne Plaza at University and Rural, just a block or two from that intersection's light rail station. It's one of over half a dozen restaurants there, and it's about the only one without a clear ethnic identity. Instead, the food draws Japanese influences from the sauce and rice, but in some ways might be more American with its reliance on land animals rather than fish. Regardless, this place is more about a solid meal at a bargain price than a culinary trip around the world. That's fine. There's a place for no-nonsense fare at reasonable prices, and Chix is an effort to deliver what its slogan promises -- "quality, fresh, healthy" -- for a tab below $10.

Whether a customer chooses beef, chicken, or a mixture of the two, the sauce basted on the meat is based on soy, ginger, and garlic. It's a mild but flavorful sauce that adds tenderness and depth of taste to the popular cuts of meats cooked in the back. With the chicken, there's an optional upgrade to all white meat. Otherwise, there's little choice in how the meat is prepared, but both options come out of the kitchen tender and nicely seasoned. To garnish the food, the person at the counter will add sliced scallions on request. There's also a condiment station with a jug of the same sauce used for basting. Cajun Chef hot sauce, a vinegary and spicy concoction, is also present to add heat. Sliced jalapenos serve the same purpose.

The bowls simply feature the meat, along with the optional vegetable assortment, over rice. White is the default, but brown rice is available for a small additional charge. The plates contain larger portions of meat and add a sort of salad and fruit. The salad is a sort of slaw -- mainly shredded cabbage with a tangy sesame dressing. The fruit may vary, but has most often been a sliced orange. It's a simple but attractive presentation, even if it comes in an annoying foam clamshell. Smaller versions of both the beef and chicken bowls are available on a children's menu, and a side order or veggies is probably a good idea for any kid willing to eat them. Beverages are limited to fountain sodas, iced tea, and a few bottled drinks by the counter. There's no liquor license here, and there's no dessert either. Chix keeps it simple and effectively limits the meal to one course.

Acknowledging that Chix executes its focused, streamlined mission reasonably well, it's still hard not to wish Chix would branch out just a bit. The basting sauce and char-broiling technique used here on beef and chicken might work just as well on other ingredients. Envision shrimp for the seafood enthusiast and tofu for the vegetarian. Either one would pair well with the house sauce and the accompanying bed of rice. To be sure, what's already on the menu is tasty, but it seems that larger groups with more varied tastes might be lured in by a slightly broader menu. Even if that never happens, Chix does a good job with its no-frills approach. Sure, the choices are limited to chicken or beef, but either one tastes better than airline food, and neither requires passing through a security checkpoint.

933 E. University Dr., Tempe AZ 85281 | Map
(480) 967-2232