Nine-year Gibsons Steakhouse chef Christian Bailey and his sister, Courtney, take their first shot as entrepreneurs with Feed The Beast, a panini- and pizza-centric upscale bar food joint.

Though the ravenous name is a nod to the phrase Christian's toddler son belted out when he was hungry, the menu tames beasts who are much larger than pint-size, with some pretty choice ingredients, too. Here, Nachos con Fusion top fried wonton chips with a little more than your typical beans and salsa: chorizo, Italian sausage, alfredo sauce, kalamata olives, four cheeses and more.

But the restaurant's forte are its sandwiches/paninis ($7-$8) and never-limp cracker-crust pizzas ($8-$18), dubbed "St. Louis-style." Expect appealing monsters like Da BEASTwurst, a piled-high bratwurst topped with beer-caramelized onions, and the smoked Gourmet BBQ Duck pie, topped with jalapenos, goat cheese and fresh cilantro. Control-freaks can build their own beast, selecting from 50 sandwich ingredients and another set of 50 pizza toppings.

Other healthy Feed the Beast staples include organic salads, many available in full or half portions, and eclectic pastas like the Magic Mushroom, packed with, yep, cremini, Portobello, oyster and shitake mushrooms. Dessert is the definition of indulgent, with treats like the Garbage Cookie Sandwich and Krispy Kreme doughnut bread pudding.

Taking on alcohol beasts as well, you'll find weekly specials poured from the massive bar and well as open-mic nights, football season buffets and movie nights with bucket-beer deals.

Centerstage Reviewer: Gavin Paul