Ma’i Island Grill: Lunch $10 and Under

Aloha! If you have never experienced Hawaiian Barbecue, you are missing out, my friend. Ma’i Island Grill has been around the ASU area for quite some time now. Initially starting out in the now demolished West Arches complex on University, owner Jay thankfully moved across the street on Forest where…

Now Open in Scottsdale: PrimeBar

The dining scene at Scottsdale Quarter, the new-ish retail complex across the road from Kierland Commons, has been pretty slow-going, with only two restaurants in the mix: Brio Tuscan Grille and Oakville Grocery. As of yesterday, though, a new spot called PrimeBar bumps it up to three. Seven additional eateries…

99: Clams in Black Bean Sauce From Asian Cafe Express

Hungry yet?We’re working up our appetites for our huge Best of Phoenix issue, out September 30, with daily servings of Chow Bella’s 100 Favorite Dishes from across the Valley — in no particular order.Leave your suggestions for upcoming favorites in the comments section.Visit our sister blog, Jackalope Ranch, for a companion series on 100 Creatives who make Phoenix…

Chick-fil-A’s Spicy Chicken Sandwich Giveaway

Like Chick-fil-A? Like free? Then this one’s for you. The Spicy Chicken Sandwich, Chick-fil-A’s first new sandwich since 1989 (hello product development – are you there?) will be offered free to customers via an online reservation before it officially launches on June 7. That’s right. Click for Chick. Want one?…

James Keenan, What Are You Eating?

James Keenan The singer/bassist/synth player for electronic rock band A Life of Science and art director for Sundawg Records performs with A Life of Science at Phoenix Comicon Saturday, May 29 at 5 p.m. and is a part of the A Life of Science “Creating Multimedia Comics” panel at Phoenix…

100: Bruschetta From Postino

Hungry yet? We’re working up our appetites for our huge Best of Phoenix issue, out September 30, with daily servings of Chow Bella’s 100 Favorite Dishes from across the Valley — in no particular order.   Leave your suggestions for upcoming favorites in the comments section.   Visit our sister blog,…

Giant Coffee Opens Alongside Bunky Boutique

There was a lot going on this weekend, but one of the biggest buzz-creators was Saturday’s long-awaited opening of Giant Coffee, the third downtown hangout created by Matt and Erenia Pool of Matt’s Big Breakfast and The Roosevelt. Saturday’s grand opening party was held in conjunction with the launch of…

Caffiend: Fair Trade Cafe’s Coconut Mocha Bianca

Fair Trade Cafe is full of flavor, and we’re not talking about the handmade soaps they sell or the local artwork that adorns the walls. We’re talking literal flavors — Fair Trade Cafe stocks more than a dozen different kinds of syrup, and the baristas will happily make a java…

This Week In Chow Bella

Another week has come and gone leaving us to ponder the upcoming events that will shape our lives and, more importantly, our dinners out. But before we move on, let’s have one last look at the blog posts from this week: McDonald’s “Great Tastes of America” in the UK: Cue…

Where Am I Eating?

A few sweet pastries, good company and a huge, refillable cup of coffee. This, friends, is truly a breakfast of champions (or at least it’ll tide us over until the weekend officially begins). Can you guess where I’m eating? Last week’s winner guessed the answer in record time. Congratulations “Booger,”…

Sunflower Market Jumps on the Gluten-Free Bandwagon

​Sunflower Market is the latest in a long line of restaurants, food manufacturers and grocery stores catering to the gluten-free market. No, they’re not ditching the Bertolli pasta and burning whole wheat tortillas in effigy. But they are labeling all of the gluten-free products in the store with special “Smart Tags,” offering…

Cafe: Pho Thanh

Is there anything as satisfying as a huge bowl of noodle soup? We don’t think so. That’s why we’re so stoked to hear about Pho Thanh. Food Critic Michele Laudig on Pho Thanh: As the name would suggest, pho is the house specialty, with quite a few different variations, including…