Food-o-File

Courtesy of Rebel Pizza Bar

Rebel Pizza Bar (7858 Shoal Creek Blvd.) is coming soon to North Central Austin. It's the newest endeavor of longtime business partners restaurateur Suzi Yi and restaurant consultant Frank Seely. Highly respected for her innate hospitality, Yi has been the proprietor of her namesake restaurants for nearly 25 years. The classy, fast-casual Rebel Pizza is directly above Suzi's China Grill & Sushi Bar, with indoor seating for 150 and a full bar. The expansive rooftop patio offers a view of the neighborhood and includes a bocce ball court, multiple flat-screen TVs, and covered seating. "Just like Suzi's, we bring our dedication to hospitality and great food in a casual atmosphere. We think those combined elements coupled with Rebel's unique feel and spirit will be a big draw in this neighborhood," says Yi. Development of the Rebel Pizza menu has been the job of accomplished young chef Alex Kahn, who brings Italian food experience to the project from jobs at Trento and NoRTH. The Marsal & Sons pizza ovens will turn out a variety of crisp-crust pizzas, augmented by appetizers and desserts. The menu will be complemented by a selection of local beers and craft cocktails. "We see the menu as no-fuss, easy to order, with a variety of fun and flavorful pizza options," says Kahn. Pizza lovers can order at the counter for takeout food or grab a table to enjoy the full Rebel experience. According to Seely, the goal at Rebel was to create a comfortable destination for happy hour and late-night relaxation, as well as a convenient spot for a quick meal with the family. Recent progress on the project has Seely expecting the contractor to get a certificate of occupancy by the end of this week and then turn the space over to them for training, so Rebel Pizza will soon be a reality. Follow them on Facebook for updates. A soft opening is likely by the end of the month.

12th Street Bakery: There's a new bakery trailer in Central East Austin, and after talking to the owner, I'm eager to follow the progress. Le Cordon Bleu Dallas graduate Samantha Herod is baking with some lofty goals. She definitely wants to delight customers with delicious American-style sweets and treats, but she also wants her fledgling business to grow into a career incubator. Herod plans to hire at-risk and non-college-bound youth and give them the opportunity to learn basic baking skills, time management, commerce and budgeting, and customer service communication, while earning a living wage. Herod's trailer is parked in a new food trailer park owned and operated by Mission Possible Austin, a faith-based, nonprofit street ministry that serves the community in the area of East 12th and Chicon. While Mission Possible owns the trailer and the park, Herod funded her business with a Kickstarter campaign. 12th Street Bakery is currently open Tuesday–Saturday from 8am until sold out.