October 19, 2025 • 42 mins
We pull up a seat with Chef Danielle Cain and front‑of‑house lead and bar creator Rob Hirst of Hey Babe, the new East Liberty lounge inside the Maverick Hotel that’s fast becoming Pittsburgh’s coziest third place. From a crispy eggplant that rules social media to a five‑spice pork belly and salmon tartare, the menu’s range is deliberate.
The drink menu including an espresso martini that pours with a creamy cascade like Guinness and a color‑shifting Oaxacan old fashioned, while NA and low‑ABV options sit proudly next to the classics so guests can pace the night without losing the ritual.
Danielle and Rob have been taking notes and capturing inspo along their established F&B careers and shared travel as life partners. Design drives the feel of Hey Babe with curves, custom lamps, and stained glass that nods to the church across the street, along with remembered flavors punctuating menu and drink items... ever heard of Pandan?
To cap off our episode, resident wine expert Catherine Montest shares a zero‑stress mulled wine recipe—two bottles of red, a hit of brandy, warm spices, citrus zest, and gentle heat—perfect for fall gatherings, holiday parties, or a quiet Sunday game.
If this conversation leaves you hungry and a little inspired, hit play, save the recipe, and come hang at Hey Babe.
Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a quick review to help more Pittsburgh food lovers find us.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Doug (00:00):
Welcome to The Pittsburgh Dish.
I'm your host, Doug Heilman.
Are you looking for that new,cozy yet chic spot with a
flavorful eclectic menu andstellar cocktails?
Danielle and Rob welcome you inthe Hey Babe.
And if you're warming up tofall flavors and the
(00:24):
anticipation of holidaygatherings, our wine expert
Catherine Montest offers up awine recommendation in the form
of a recipe.
All that ahead, stay tuned.
Well, thank you so much forcoming over.
Dani (00:39):
Thank s for having us, Doug.
Doug (00:40):
Yeah, thanks for having us.
And for being on the show.
Would you take a moment tointroduce yourselves to our
listeners and what you havegoing on?
What's your role right now inthe world of food?
And Dani, can we start withyou?
Dani (00:54):
Sure.
I'm Danielle Kane.
I'm married to Rob, businesspartners with Rob as well.
We just opened Hey Babe in EastLiberty in the middle of June.
So we're a month four.
Wow.
We're tired, we're excited.
Everybody's been so welcomingand excited about us being
there.
So that's what we have goingon.
(01:14):
Yes.
That's it.
Doug (01:15):
And Dani, your main role at the restaurant, you're in the
kitchen, is that right?
Dani (01:20):
I am the chef.
We hire this amazing chef decuisine.
His name's Daniel Okren.
Um we've known each other foryears.
And uh he runs the kitchen, andwe're together.
We're great partners in that.
Um, and I think people can seethat through the food.
Rob (01:38):
Yes.
Doug (01:38):
And Rob, how about you?
Rob (01:40):
And I'm Rob Hirst.
Um partners uh in life and inHey Babe with Danielle.
Doug (01:48):
And I take care of the front of the house, which you do
very well.
We've been there a few timesnow, and I see you out in about,
which I love as a restaurant,uh seeing a restaurant tour,
kind of be with the guests whenthey can.
Uh so you're helping seat folksand the bar uh traffic and all
of the things sort offront-facing.
Everything front-facing, yeah.
Rob (02:09):
I I take care of uh as well as um drink creation, yeah.
Curating the menu as far asdrinks, wine, beer, um, and that
sort of thing.
Doug (02:19):
And Dani, are you and your chef de cuisine?
Are you responsible forchanging up the food menu?
All those items.
Dani (02:26):
All those things together.
Um, and we also have great souschefs.
So really keeping peopleengaged and you know, talking
through it.
We're really good about tryingnew things, talking to each
other about it, because that'san art in and of itself to be
able to criticize each other'sfood and take criticism.
Right.
And so um, we're great at that,at being like, what about this?
(02:49):
Yeah, this is going somewhere,let's work on it.
This is probably a dead end.
You need to sleep on this for afew weeks.
Doug (02:55):
Such a productive way to keep innovating that menu.
I will say, and just to remindour listeners, you're located in
the Maverick Hotel in EastLiberty.
This was the space that wasformerly occupied by the Ace
Hotel in the Whitfield.
You're in the bar loungesection, and you've done such a
great job.
So I want to talk about decor.
But let's go into food rightnow.
Since you were talking aboutthat menu creation, uh, there
(03:17):
are uh so many dishes on themenu that I think really hit
spectacular notes with spice andtexture and flavor together.
Can we talk about some of thewhat you see as a signature
that's sort of popping out onthe menu or something that's a
hot cellar?
Dani (03:33):
Sure.
I mean, I think the eggplant,you probably have seen it all
over social media.
I put it on my right.
That's it's probably the mostpopular dish we have right now.
Um, the five spice pork bellyis doing really well.
Rob (03:46):
Salmon tartare does very well.
Doug (03:48):
Salmon tartare as well.
I these are like a lot of thesmall bites, but the menu has uh
like sandwiches and sort ofshareable large plates.
How do you both describe thespace?
Like how what do you wantpeople to think of as hey babe?
Is it a cocktail bar with food?
Is it a restaurant?
You know, what's the mood or orthe the setting you're trying
(04:08):
to strike?
Rob (04:10):
It's it's really all of those things.
I mean, it's uh we just wanteda a neighborhood place that was
very, very comfortable.
Um back in the day, which let'ssay 10 years ago or or 12 years
ago, there were more loungierplaces that you could just show
up at with, you know, gatheringa bunch of friends or just on a
date night or or what have you.
(04:32):
And you know, little by little,and I think the pandemic sort
of thinned that out a lot.
Um, and we, you know, we livein the East End and we were
always struggling on you knowour nights off together.
Like, where do you want to goout for you know, a drink, or
just let's just meet for adrink, or let's let's meet for a
drink and some appetizer, justyou know, a a nice night out.
So we wanted to provide that,honestly.
(04:53):
You know, when we got theopportunity of this space, we
looked at the space and it's abeautiful building.
I mean, we're we're reallylucky to have this opportunity.
Doug (05:00):
T his is the historic YMCA building here in East
Liberty.
Rob (05:04):
Yeah, it's beautiful.
Um, you know, and we're rightacross the street from the
beautiful church.
Um, but you know, we looked atthe building and we're like,
this is such a nice piece ofarchitecture, and it's so
beautiful, but it's all straightlines, you know.
Yeah, everything is like, youknow, hard edge straight lines.
And we just looked at thatspace and we're like, we need
to, you know, make it softer.
One of our through lines waslike we want to give everybody a
(05:27):
hug.
So that's you know, an invitingspace that everybody feels
comfortable in that we wantelevated service, but we don't
want to be stuffy andpretentious, and like, you know,
you can show up how you showup.
You know, we have people thatthat stay because it's also a
hotel, so they're just coming infrom traveling along travel.
So they they're road weary andthey come in and they, you know,
(05:48):
it's a virtual check-in, soit's a little strange of an
experience.
So we have people like rightoff a plane come in and they
have all their bags, and andthen we have people that come in
in suits, you know, after workand or after their pickleball
match and sweaty.
So it's just you know, it it'sit's really cool to walk around
the the lounge and see how manydifferent types of people are
(06:12):
are enjoying and and how they'reenjoying the space and the food
and the drink.
So I know that's a long answer.
That's a long answer to yourvery easy question.
Dani (06:21):
I think people thought it was going to be a cocktail bar
with a few bites and then aresurprised that there is a full
menu and the how diverse it is.
Um, and we wanted to make itaccessible, you know, for the
person that wants a burger on aTuesday night, as well as, you
know, a beautiful strip steak.
Doug (06:37):
I have been that person, by the way.
Yeah.
Well, I do.
I love that.
I think some of the notes thatRob you just hit is we are
terrible planners and you guysaren't a reservations place.
You're open usually around fourto, you know, question mark 10,
11 on certain nights.
And you can kind of come injust for a drink.
You can come in for a couplebites, you can come in with
(06:58):
friends and have like a properdinner, but it does feel upscale
yet relaxed.
I think the thing that I loveis not just like the mood and
the colors, but it's even like alittle decoey.
When you were saying that youintroduced curves, like I saw
some of the work on the bar andjust everything is um curve, uh
curvaceous, but like kind oflike voluptuous in a way, in a
(07:18):
in a in a cool way.
And then I I think about themenu as well.
Like it is really diverse, justlike your clientele.
Danny, did you have that sortof vision or expectation that
we're gonna have things thatmight lean Mediterranean or
Moroccan or or all American?
Like, was that always in yourhead?
Dani (07:36):
Well, I think my background is pretty diverse.
So I enjoy certain flavors.
And then working with Daniel,he's from Boston, so he sort of
has that sensibility and reallyloves Mediterranean flavors,
where I lean into more Asian,maybe um, you know, those sorts
of flavors.
And then our pastry chef isLily Tran, who was the chef at
(07:58):
Soba.
Yes, um, after I was.
So we have a mixed group ofpeople that, you know, really
lean into the things thatthey're into, and we go for
that.
Doug (08:07):
Okay, not just a mixed group, a powerhouse group.
But yeah, it's really, reallynice.
Dani (08:12):
We have a really, you know, our whole goal was to hire
nice people, work with nicepeople, and um create a family.
Create a family.
And I know that sounds cheesybecause people like to say that,
but the kitchen especially,we're very tight and we talk
through things and get reallyexcited about what we're doing.
Doug (08:29):
I love that.
Dani (08:30):
But we wanted to keep it small because I think we know
about the uh problems in therestaurant world about keeping
staff right now.
So creating a menu that couldbe produced easily, but is
delicious.
Rob (08:45):
It's very hard to describe because everybody's asked me,
like, what kind of food is it?
And it's just it's so eclecticand it's it hits so many marks
and it has so many differentflavors, even in one dish.
And I think uh my wife is verygood at doing that, even like
during the pandemic, we had thisthing where she was uh keeping
a journal of uh all the dishesshe'd make like every night was
(09:07):
a different dish.
Doug (09:08):
Right.
You had the time to reallyexperiment.
Rob (09:10):
And it was it was really lovely uh to see that just all
the different flavors that shewas introducing.
You know, it's it was it was anice uh break from a monotonous
sort of time, you know.
Doug (09:22):
I I will say too, I think as we kind of go forward on the
menu, it's diverse and yet it'sstill approachable.
I mean, my husband'svegetarian.
We've had, I think it's off themenu now, but it was a mushroom
poor boy that was so good.
I mean, there's a lot ofvegetarian things on.
I think I've also noticedgluten-free on there.
So even though we're talkingabout these various ingredients
and high spice, like there'ssomething for everyone when
(09:45):
you're coming in.
Dani (09:46):
We have a whole separate gluten-free menu.
We hand people.
Um I have family members withceliac disease, so it's very
important to me to make the menuaccessible, especially my niece
who's 14, you know, and sort ofthe awkwardness of having to
announce it and be like, whatcan I eat to make it easy for
people and feel welcome and theyare pretty grateful.
(10:09):
Yeah.
Rob (10:10):
I mean, the the fact that we have a separate menu for, you
know, if you're vegan or ifyou're gluten-free and
incredible.
I didn't know that was this.
Doug (10:18):
I could ask for something else.
That's that's a good idea.
Dani (10:20):
I kind of joke that we became this vegetarian
restaurant, which we're not, butwe are very vegetable.
Rob (10:27):
You're welcoming to it.
I think everything is veryaccessible, you know.
It's even with the cocktails,you know, we're embracing the
fact that people are are uhwanting low ABV cocktails or
also non-alcoholic cocktails.
Yes.
Even if they're not notdrinking per se, you know, we
have a lot of people that comein and they'll start off with a
martini or and then they'll endwith a non-alcoholic just
(10:50):
because they don't want toconsume that much alcohol, but
they still want to sort of be ata table having something with
friends.
Doug (10:57):
So, so smart.
We just talked about that on aprevious episode of the NA
movement.
I also like that you brought upthe low alcohol movement, sort
of like the aperitif, becausesometimes that's just really all
you want or need.
And it is on the menu uhstraight out in front of you,
the non-alcoholic beers and themocktails.
Uh, we didn't talk yet aboutthe the bar program per se.
(11:20):
Just like the crispy eggplant,are there a couple of drinks
that you're really proud of orthat are also some go-tos for
some of your patrons that arecoming in?
Rob (11:30):
Um, yeah, I mean, I I have uh several.
A couple have just launched,but a couple of the the ones
that I know that are tried andtrue have just come off the
menu.
Okay.
Uh just seasonal.
Sure.
Um for seasonal reasons.
But um, I mean, the one that Iyou know, it's sort of cheesy,
but the espresso martini that Ithat I was able to sort of took
a long time to figure it out andfigure out what worked and uh
(11:54):
to do it right.
To do it right, yes.
Yes.
On draft.
On draft.
On draft.
Wait, I did not know that.
So the whole idea of it was,you know, uh one is is everybody
wants to go to a bar and get acraft cocktail and they want it
fast.
Well, you know, the twosometimes don't uh really jive
when you're when you're makingeverything from scratch.
(12:14):
So I tried to create a bar menuthat was, you know, we have
scratch cocktails or we batchfrom scratch cocktails, or we
have things on tap, on you know,keg cocktails.
So that's one of the thingslike you know, everybody loves
an espresso martini, they'revery popular.
Um, I sort of got this ideathat I wanted to make it sort of
(12:34):
like a Guinness, so you get itin a little pilsner glass, yes.
Um, and it sort of cascadeslike a Guinness to uh face,
beautiful head.
Yeah, yeah.
So that's one of the ones I'mproud of because everybody seems
to uh enjoy it and it worked.
Took a minute to get it towork.
Um but uh you know, we haveanother uh, you know, I um I had
(12:55):
a friend come in from uh Oregonwho used to bartend uh old soba
days, um, and I started a uhbricolage with him, um, David
Turkell.
And uh so he we collaboratedwhen we were opening on
cocktails, um, which was reallyfun.
Um, but uh we came up with thiscocktail called uh little baby
(13:17):
Jeffrey, which you know tooksome t twists and turns and the
name, and and uh it basically itwas a Oaxacan old-fashioned um
it had a uh lychee saffronsyrup, um, and uh dried dragon
fruit garnish on the the bottom.
And so you would initially getthe cocktail and it would be a
(13:38):
clear cocktail, and then you'dget midway through the cocktail
and the the color of the dragonfruit, the purple would permeate
it.
Yeah, so then the drink wouldsort of over time change.
Oh and that was a you know thatwas a happy, happy accident.
Um, but it just it it took off.
Yeah, and so really proud ofthat that drink.
Doug (13:58):
There's some new fall cocktails on that are really
good.
We're recording in fall rightnow, so I did notice as I was
looking, some of your menu itemshave just changed across the
board.
I do have one moredrink-related question.
I hope I'm saying it right.
Pandan?
Pandan, yeah.
Yeah, I've had the soda.
Can we describe for ourlisteners what some of those
flavors are that you take out ofthat soda?
(14:20):
Very hard to describe.
Rob (14:22):
It's kind of like Pandan is sort of like cilantro.
Either you love it or youdon't.
Yeah, there's the camp that,and you know, I think it's 7030
because a lot of people send itback.
They're like, I don't likethis.
But um, it's not for everybody,but it's delicious.
And and the story of that isthat I would go to Portland,
Oregon for um their cocktailweek.
(14:43):
And there was this place calledPac Pac, which is oh yeah, the
Pac Pac restaurant.
Yeah.
Um, and uh they're they nolonger exist, they went out of
business, but their house waterwas uh infused with Pan Dam.
So and this is uh a leaf or agrass.
It's like a it they say pandaleaf, but I think it's like a
like a grass.
Yeah, it's about three, fourfeet tall.
(15:05):
In the states, you get itfrozen, pretty much any Asian
store in the frozen section.
But uh, anyways, so Pac Pac wasa little drive outside of
Portland, and you come back tothe the conference and you'd be
like, Oh, where'd you go?
We went to Pok Pok.
Everybody'd be like, Did youhave the water?
Like, yeah, I did.
Why is it so amazing?
(15:26):
And then I think my last timeout there, Danielle came out
with her.
I'm like, we have to go to PokPok.
And then she fell in love withthe water.
And so it was sort of this pactthat if we ever opened a
restaurant, we would have thatin some capacity.
And so, like the like theespresso martini, I wanted to
put make a seltzer and put it ontap.
(15:48):
So that also took a little bitto sort of perfect that because
I mean I have the Pok Pok book,but they don't talk about the
water at all.
And I'm like, that is just ait's just a simple thing that
everybody's just like talkingabout.
Doug (16:00):
So you're infusing the these leaves into a seltzer
water.
Is there syrup in there too?
Rob (16:05):
I put a little bit of so I basically um We don't have to
give away any syrup.
Yeah, right.
The super secret.
But yeah, so I I've I figuredout that I steeped it or infused
it several different ways overseveral, you know, two days,
three days hot and then cold.
And you know, do I burmix it?
Do I not?
Do I just chop it?
So I came up with a, you know,I figured out how to do that.
(16:28):
And then, you know, I have to Iadd just a tinge of malactic
acid to it.
I add the ingredients to tomake the seltzer uh happen.
Um, and then you know, as faras the sweetener, I make it five
gallons at a time if I make aum special tea that sort of
matches the flavors becausethose flavors are are uh you
(16:49):
know, I it's a little seaweed,but it's not that's I say grassy
and a little nutty, a littlenutty, and maybe even a note of
like a vanilla-y flavor.
Doug (17:00):
Not the same.
Yeah, yes, but it's it's that.
Rob (17:02):
And you even make a cocktail out of that, right?
Yes.
Um, it's um it's a pandemichighball.
And we use Toki Japanese whiskwhiskey.
Oh, yeah, yeah.
Um, and we use the pandemic andthen just a simple twist.
Man, it's delicious.
Doug (17:16):
I'm glad you guys love it and kind of put it out there.
I also, this is such a sidenote, but I'm always looking for
things that don't raise myblood pressure, and it is noted
to lower blood pressure.
Oh fun fact.
Yeah.
So I don't know, I wouldn't saythat that's medication, but
yeah, right.
It could be a nice side note.
Dani (17:31):
Yeah.
Rob (17:31):
It's a nice balance.
Dani (17:32):
Yeah.
This is Danielle Cain
Rob (17:35):
And this is Rob Hirst.
Dani (17:37):
And you're listening to The Pittsburgh dish.
Doug (17:41):
Dani, has there been anything on the menu in terms of
the food side that has beenreally uh a work or a
collaboration that you're like,I'm so happy we have this on
now, but it maybe took a littlewhile to get there?
Dani (17:53):
Yeah, Dan and I collaborate.
unknown (17:55):
Yeah.
Doug (17:56):
Bits and pieces.
Okay.
Dani (17:57):
Even before we opened like the salmon tartare, I was like,
okay, we're having salmon onthe menu.
Let's use the excess pieces.
Doug (18:05):
With the tartar.
Dani (18:06):
With the tartare. And um same thing.
Being in New York, Rob and Itook a trip many, many years
ago, and they had a whole itwas a t Decoy.
Oh it was. And we had thesalmon skins.
And they served as a littlesnack.
And that was another thing.
We're like, if we ever open aplace, those are so good.
So I mean, this this came onreally late, maybe two days
(18:28):
before we opened.
And Dan's like, I can do thesesalmon skins, and they're
amazingly delicious.
Um, and now he curses himselfbecause he's the only one that
makes his job, but it's it'sit's painful.
It really does elevate that.
Yes.
Yeah, it's it's fun, it'sdifferent.
Doug (18:47):
What I love hearing throughout both of your stories
is all of this rememberedflavors and the journeys you've
taken and sort of the notes thatyou've been taking along the
way.
So I'd love to uh pivot alittle bit and talk about your
backgrounds because this isn'tyour first foray into food and
beverage.
Dani (19:05):
No, mine's much shorter than Rob.
He'll probably speak up therest.
Doug (19:11):
Well, uh let me ask this.
Did you did you all meet in thefood world?
Is that how you came together?
Yes.
And how long ago was that?
Dani (19:19):
I think we met somewhere around the year 2000.
I was um, I did my internshipfrom culinary school downtown at
Casbah.
And uh Big Burrito gives halfoff to their employees on
certain days.
So um a group of us wouldalways go to Mad Mex Oakland.
Rob Hirst was the originaliconic bartender at Mad Mex
(19:41):
Oakland.
Everybody knows him from thosedays.
Oh, so we first met, then verybriefly.
And then um, I was married atthe time and had my daughter and
came back after maternity leaveto Soba, and Rob was there, and
it was just like, Oh, hey,buddy.
Yeah, you did a joke.
(20:02):
Uh right.
And he's like, Oh, glad you'rehere.
Um, and we became friends thatway.
Um, years later, when mydaughter was eight then, I'm
gonna go into this part, youknow, got a divorce.
Um, and then we had beenfriends for a year, and then a
couple of years later we gottogether.
Okay, yeah.
So, but we met at Soba.
Well, Soba's sort of a the cometogether.
Doug (20:23):
Soba's when we became friends.
Speaker 1 (20:25):
Yeah.
Doug (20:26):
And I think thinking about the Soba menu again over in
Shady side on Ellsworth Avenue,and the big burrito group does
such a great job, I can seewhere some of your flavor
profiles probably have emanatedfrom, right?
Yeah.
Definitely.
Well, I love that you forgedthis partnership through you
know all of these experiences.
And thank you again so much forbringing so much great food and
(20:46):
beverage to a new spot in town.
When you guys were kind ofcoming up in your own respective
families, did you ever thinkthat this career path would be
the place that it's taken you?
Dani (20:58):
Probably not for me, but you know, I went to college and
then went to culinary school andfell in love with everything
about it.
Um, I think my parents weredisappointed.
Oh, expecting a certain journeyfor their daughter and then
really embraced it and were veryexcited.
Doug (21:17):
They learned who you were actually and what you really
wanted to do.
Dani (21:20):
Exactly.
So, you know, and and being onthis journey, it's it's uh, I
don't think there's that manyfemale chefs, especially in this
city, who have children.
Um, so being able to be a chefin the industry, take a take a
break, run events, get a wholedifferent side of the industry.
So, you know, I could actuallybe there for my daughter because
(21:43):
the industry is not great forever attending a fake win or a
soccer game or any of thesethings.
So that step away from it wasreally important to me.
Um, and I don't regret a secondof that.
But then, you know, now thatshe's off to college, this was a
big thing for us to be like,okay, what are our dreams
(22:04):
actually?
So let's do it.
You're doing it right.
We're doing it.
We're doing it right.
We're doing it.
Yeah.
Doug (22:08):
It's happening.
Dani (22:09):
It's all happening.
Doug (22:10):
Did I hear you didn't grow up in Pittsburgh?
Dani (22:12):
Is that right?
I was born here.
I grew up in Arizona.
You did.
And then came back to P.
Doug (22:17):
We had implanted the magnet in some.
Exactly.
Dani (22:20):
It happens to a lot of people.
Doug (22:23):
And uh, you know, since you are like this really
accomplished chef, what was foodlife like at an early age?
Were you cooking at an earlyage?
Dani (22:30):
Not at all.
Not at all.
No, I I think I learned how touse the toaster in six in the
sixth grade.
It was a joke in the family.
But um, yeah, it was later inlife that I was into it.
Doug (22:40):
I'm so glad you got into it.
Rob (22:43):
Yeah.
Rob, what about you?
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in the East End.
I grew up in Morningside.
So hop, skip, and a jump fromuh Hey Babe.
Yeah.
Um yeah, I'm an East Ender.
Doug (22:53):
So how did you fall into like the the original Mad Mex
and the big burrito group?
Rob (22:59):
Um, well, uh funny enough, I I'd gone to school uh for uh
art and architecture.
Oh um, yeah.
I I went to I went to PennState for two years and then I
transferred home and uh went toPitt.
I dual majored in architecturalstudies and design, art and
design, um at Pitt.
(23:19):
And while I was in school, Iactually was uh doing this
externship uh for an architectin in Squirrel Hill.
And I really I was I moved backhome and I was just trying to
find a job.
You're finding your way.
Yeah, I was finding another jobto sort of get out of the
house, you know, get my ownapartment.
I knew some people that um Ihad some friends that were
(23:40):
working at Mad Mex, the originalMad Mex in Oakland.
Uh that was when there was onlyone uh you know, one now the
bygone location.
Doug (23:48):
It was so small, but what a great little bar.
Rob (23:50):
It was great.
Yeah, it was heartbreaking tosee it close.
But anyways, you know, and theyI heard that they were opening
another Mad Mex.
And I was like, oh, can you getme an interview?
And so I went to an interviewthinking that I was interviewing
to work at that Mad Mex, andhere I was interviewing to work
at Kaya.
They were opening Kaya, sort ofright after on the heels of Mad
(24:14):
Mex North Hills, yes, they wereopening Kaya.
And I actually uh interviewedwith Tom, uh Tom Barron and Juno
Yoon at the time, which werethe owners.
Original owners, yeah.
And so I got that job.
Um, I got that job as abartender, uh, not knowing
anything about bartending, anduh, you know, I sort of lied on
(24:34):
my application.
Doug (24:36):
You did you knew how to make a drink?
Yeah.
Uh no, I didn't.
Rob (24:39):
Honestly, uh, I knew about drinks, yeah.
I knew about drinking, but Ididn't know how to make a drink.
I just I had some other friendsand my friend Brian, who I grew
up with in in uh high school,his father owned calico's in in
in Oakland, and I used him as areference.
I'm like, you never let mebartend here.
I did everything there, DJ towork the door.
(25:00):
I'm like, you gotta tell themthat I bartended for the car.
They didn't call any of myreferences.
I put a bunch of references forPenn State that I knew all the
bars closed down.
Um, and then I had other otherother friends that had like bar
books, and and I just learned.
I just learned on the job.
I I just followed people behindthe bar.
I'm like, oh, they're doingthis.
(25:21):
This is what I should be doing.
So it's crazy uh because I feellike still feel like that
person that I'm gonna be foundout.
Doug (25:28):
Oh, oh, imposter syndrome.
Welcome to the world.
Hello.
Rob (25:31):
But you know, shortly after that, the other crazy thing is
like within a year and a half, Iwas opening Soba as the bar
manager, and like you know, it'scrazy how life takes, you know.
So, you know, I took a left allof a sudden, like I was just
enthralled by what Big Burritowas doing.
You know, that world sort ofmagical.
It was before Instagram, it wasbefore, you know, the internet
(25:54):
was the internet, but it wasbefore the whole explosion of
like, you know, even good diningtoo.
Doug (25:59):
Like, I came home from Penn State and and Big Burrito
was was it.
It was really the first thingthat had concepts and unique
flavors, flavors, not a chain,you know, these these different
restaurants that you got such adifferent experience.
Yeah, and sort of uh I I'mthinking now back to the point
that you made about going forart and architecture as well.
You're working in some reallycool design spaces, which
(26:22):
probably let your space, yourspace is great.
You know, I I think I mentionedearlier, I think it's deco and
it's moody.
I'm sure you had influence, butRob, did you kind of point to
like this is what I want, theseare some things I want to have
happen.
Rob (26:36):
Yeah.
I mean, it all so soon afterthat Kaya opening, I've been
sort of wanting to do my ownplan.
And I've been trying, you know,like writing a business plan or
seeing a space, you know.
Um, I also opened, uh, youknow, started was one of the
founding members of Bricolage.
So yes, so keeping my toe inthe art world and like I'm
(26:56):
inspired by spaces, uh, andthose dictate sort of feel and
and sort of vibe and absolutelyright.
So when we got the opportunity,you know, to do this space, you
know, there were a lot ofunderlying themes and and sort
of feels that we wanted, butsort of the space started to
dictate, you know, it's likethis is what the space has, this
(27:18):
is what we want, and this nowthis is what the space needs.
So and we started with the westarted with the lamp.
Dani (27:23):
I started with this lamp, the custom giant lamps, yeah.
Rob (27:27):
It wasn't the same exact one, but we started with that.
And we're like, this is thefeeling we want.
Starting point, and so it allspun off from that.
So yeah, it's you know, it wasa it was a journey.
Dani (27:37):
And I would say Rob designed like 90% of that.
Well, partners probably, right?
But what the hell?
Well, Walmart Charmers, uhyeah, but um, yeah, Rob really
is aware of functionality.
That bar from the old ace hotelis beautiful.
How do we continue that bar?
So we hired Dylan Stein tocontinue that bar.
(28:01):
That was a challenge.
Doug (28:02):
Yeah, um, and then I love the stained glass behind glass,
it kind of echoes the church.
Dani (28:08):
That was the goal, but make it funky, it totally is
also hide the dumpster area.
Doug (28:14):
That's true.
Now I do I do have a pressingquestion, and this came up from
my husband, Greg.
The wall that is what used tobe the old Whitfield, are you
ever thinking about getting intothat space?
Will there ever maybe be anexpansion?
Dani (28:28):
So I think it was Cha Cha Real Smooth, I think, was filmed
in during the pandemic.
During the pandemic in thehotel.
That's when they put the builtthat wall for that.
Doug (28:39):
It looks very temporary.
Dani (28:40):
Yeah, it is.
And um, it was just left up.
So it will be our dining room.
We are making plans.
Speaker 1 (28:49):
Okay.
Dani (28:50):
Um, but it sort of works now to be able to shut the door
when construction starts.
And that was terrorists.
Because it's uh it's notappealing.
Yeah, the one day we werethere, it was the wall's not
appealing.
The wall is appealing.
Rob (29:03):
It also it also helps that horrible echo that we get.
It's a sound just bounces offthat wall.
So we'd we'd like to get backto an open space.
Doug (29:12):
I'm so excited for that.
I know that you've let folks inthere.
If the if the tables are allfull, you've invited us to go
sit there and have a drink whilewe're waiting too.
So uh again, just love it.
Rob (29:22):
Right now, currently we we use it for uh private events or
semi-private events.
If we guys are doing that,yeah.
We're we're getting a lot ofpeople that want to like can we
have a 25-person party in thelounge?
And and and you've seen thelounge, it's it's small.
Yeah.
Um, you know, we fit 60 to 70people in there, but if you have
a larger party, you know, over10 or 12 people, it gets it just
(29:46):
doesn't get practical.
So we offer that instead, whichhas been working perfectly
until we, you know, we get thedining room in there.
Doug (29:53):
I love a phase two.
Yeah.
We'll be we'll be rooting forit.
Dani (29:57):
We're excited.
Doug (29:58):
Uh is there anything else uh Upcoming anything else in the
works?
Dani (30:02):
I mean, the ultimate goal is to find ways to connect with
the community and do moredinners and fundraisers and that
sort of thing.
And um, even though it feelslike now we've been, well, we
have been working on thisproject for a year, but it's
really only come to life forfour months.
So it's like we're stillgetting our sea legs and getting
(30:23):
it.
So getting to that point is umthat we can take on more things.
Rob (30:28):
Yeah, navigating that building.
I mean, it's a big, beautifulbuilding, but it's a big
building, and it's an oldbuilding.
So I feel like, you know, weare starting to hit our stride,
but uh it's been sort of a, youknow, it's been a journey just
figuring out the building andhow to work in the building and
how a restaurant functions inthe in the building.
The kitchen is uh, you know,big, beautiful kitchen, but it's
(30:50):
downstairs.
Doug (30:51):
I was wondering when I see food coming out and versus when
it was the Whitfield space, Iwas wondering if you were using
the same kitchen because thefood came from two different
places from my perspective as aguest.
So you're downstairs.
You are in the basement.
Rob (31:05):
And they do come from two different but the the big
beautiful building is sort of amaze.
So there's there's uh severaldifferent routes to get to the
same place.
Yeah, and and and um there'stwo stairwells, so and they're
both brutal.
Oh they're both running foodupstairs upstairs.
Dani (31:23):
And and the thing is when we open, most of our food
runners were either friends withor friend adjacent to our
daughter.
Um, so they're a bunch of18-year-olds who just graduated
from high school, about ready togo to college or in college.
And I mean, these stairs areawful, to be honest.
Rob (31:40):
And so if you want to come work for us, first busy night.
Dani (31:44):
I'm I'm just like, oh, you guys okay?
And they're like, we love this.
Oh my god.
This is so fun.
Crazy things happen out there.
This is amazing.
And I'm like, okay, I wouldprobably be complaining about
the stairs, but they're like,yes.
Me at 51 with a bad knee.
I love that.
Doug (32:00):
I'm 53 and I I hate those stairs a lot.
So well, maybe this will be aprolong all of our time here.
Dani (32:07):
That is a challenge.
You know, you need more staffmembers too.
Rob (32:11):
We were blessed with a great opening staff.
The best, the best stuff.
Doug (32:15):
They were great.
They continue to be great, butwell, I think it's all
wonderful.
I'm so excited.
It is one of our new favoritespots.
Yes.
Dani (32:23):
Our ultimate goal is just to have a nice neighborhood
place where people like to cometo.
Doug (32:28):
I think I saw on the website too.
You you you use that term thirdspace.
You know, it's not work, it'snot home.
It's just come hang out.
Speaker 1 (32:35):
Yep.
Doug (32:35):
Again, just have a drink.
You don't need a reservation,have a little bite or have a
full meal.
You know, Hey Babe is one ofour new, our new spots for all
of that.
Dani (32:43):
And we will have reservations once we open the
other side.
Doug (32:45):
Yeah, you might need to, right.
Yeah.
Rob (32:47):
The lounge, lounge will say reservation free, but the other
side will be a place to bookyour reservation.
Speaker 1 (32:54):
Okay.
Doug (32:54):
Well, let's do this.
Let's remind folks too again ofyour current hours of
operation, uh, and your websiteand socials.
What what are the is there aday that you're closed right
now?
Just Sunday.
Just Sunday.
So you're open every other dayof the week, but you open around
four.
Is that right?
Four o'clock every day, yeah.
And you go to ten most days.
Rob (33:13):
The kitchen is open uh until ten.
Okay.
Um and we the bar really has uhit's it's open till whenever we
die down.
And then on the weekends, thekitchen is open until 11.
Doug (33:24):
And you guys are located at 120 Whitfield.
South Whitfield.
South Whitfield, which istechnically the Maverick Hotel.
Used to be the Ace Hotel, ifsomebody remembers that.
Right nice little library.
Yeah, right in the heart.
And lots of parking.
That parking lot right behind.
It's not hard to get there,Pittsburghers.
It's not.
Yeah, there is that parkingbehind.
Dani (33:42):
Um I know it's such a Pittsburgh thing, but we want to
see open later for food, uh,late night food, and to you
know, stay a little later anddrink, but I don't know what's
happening.
I mean, I don't know if peoplego out later.
Doug (33:53):
Well, yeah, I think, you know, you have to go with the
groove of what's happening now.
You know, I hear all these GenZers they don't drink, which is
fine, but maybe they also don'tstay out so late, which is not
my generation.
Not my generation.
We were out till two.
Dani (34:06):
They were kicking us out too.
And now it's like it hits 11and everybody will just leave,
and you're like, okay.
You know, it's just not there,I guess.
But we'll see what happens.
Doug (34:18):
And before I forget, let's also remind folks of your
website and your social handles.
Do you guys know what that is?
Rob (34:28):
Uh yeah, the the website is uh heybabe pgh.com.
And the social, I mean social.
Yes.
I looked it up.
Yeah.
It's heybabe.pgh.
That's right.
Speaker 1 (34:39):
That's correct, Doug.
Okay.
Doug (34:42):
I know that's actually a stumper, and I need I do my I do
minimum research, but that'sthe research I do.
Well, it's been such a pleasuretalking with you both and
getting to know you.
I do have one final questionfor you, and you can answer this
separately or together.
The name of the show is thePittsburgh Dish.
What's the best dish you've hadto eat this past week?
(35:07):
Oh, I know what that is.
Dani (35:10):
The gnocchi.
Oh, the at Leo Greta.
Doug (35:12):
Yeah.
Oh, you both the same for bothof you?
Dani (35:15):
We just went with some friends.
We had never been there before.
Greg, we know Chef Greg foryears, and we just said never.
We don't get out much.
I think you realize in theindustry you want to support
your other friends in theindustry, but then you have we
have one day off and it'sSunday, and none of the places
are open.
So you're like, okay.
Um, but known them for years.
We're like, let's finally getthere.
And the gnocchi, oh my god.
Rob (35:36):
Oh my god, it's fantastic.
Dani (35:37):
Amazing.
Rob (35:38):
Pillows of heaven.
Doug (35:39):
Yes.
Yeah.
Leo Greta is is actually nearwhere we're recording, just in
Carnegie.
And it actually has two spots,it has a lovely dessert and
coffee spot too.
Yes.
But the Italian food isincredible.
And I don't think I've had thegnocchi.
Rob (35:52):
So it was it was incredible.
Dani (35:54):
It was incredible, yes.
Very accessible.
Rob (35:56):
We ordered a lot, but we didn't order that, and he just
sent it out.
And I'm I'm glad he did becauseit was it was lovely.
Dani (36:02):
Yep.
So we only we only get to eatout once a week.
Of course.
We call it feeding day becausewe don't get to eat them.
We're too busy during the week.
So on Sundays we try to consumeour week's calories.
Doug (36:16):
Exactly.
Dani (36:16):
Get out there and do it.
Doug (36:20):
Daniel Cain, Rob Hirst, thank you both so much for your
time today.
And thanks for being on ThePittsburgh Dish.
Thanks for having us.
So fun.
Up next, our resident wineexpert, Catherine Montest,
offers up both a winerecommendation this week, but
also a recipe.
Let's have a listen.
(36:41):
Hey Catherine.
Hi there, Doug.
Catherine, as we get to some ofthese, you know, chillier weeks
of the year, we're enteringinto fall to winter time.
I know that some folks do uhsomething called mauled wine.
Have you ever done that?
It's like a warm hug in a mug.
Oh, so you as a wine drinker,you like mauled wine.
(37:04):
Of course.
I I don't think I've ever hadit.
Catherine (37:06):
Oh, Doug, you're missing out.
Okay.
Doug (37:08):
Do you have like a recipe or something you could share
with us?
Catherine (37:11):
I sure do.
Excellent.
And um, it couldn't possibly beeasier.
Oh.
Uh get a big pot if you've gota Dutch oven.
That's great.
Doug (37:20):
Something that would like kind of hold steady heat.
Catherine (37:22):
Yeah, exactly.
Pour two bottles of inexpensivered wine of a variety that you
like.
It could be a red blend, itcould be Malbec, it could be
Pinot Noir, it could bewhatever.
It doesn't don't don't spend alot of money on it because
you're going to be doctoring itup.
Okay.
Doug (37:38):
This is kind of like the opposite uh in summertime when
we do sangria, right?
This is like winter's version.
Catherine (37:44):
Yeah, it ex that's a great way to put it, Doug.
I hadn't even thought of that.
Yeah.
So glug two bottles into yourstock pot and then add about a
half a cup of brandy or cognac,whatever you happen to have.
All right.
Um, brandy's not as expensive.
So I tend to go in thatdirection, especially if you're
making a big batch to serve alot of people.
Doug (38:04):
Okay.
Catherine (38:05):
And um, when you're buying the brandy, just get the
straight brandy.
Don't get the cute stuff that'sapple or peach flavored or
whatever that is.
All right.
Um, that could compete withyour wine flavor.
So you so you don't just plainold straight-up brandy.
Okay.
And you you're also going toneed a little bit of a
sweetener.
You've got some choices here.
You can use honey, you can usemaple syrup, you can even use
(38:26):
agave syrup if you want it.
Doug (38:27):
Okay.
Catherine (38:28):
And put a tablespoon in, but as it simmers, you're
going to maybe want to add moresweetness.
Doug (38:35):
Okay.
Catherine (38:36):
And you want to start with just a tablespoon.
Doug (38:38):
You can always add more, you can't take it away.
Catherine (38:40):
Exactly.
Gotcha.
Um, and so kind of what makesthis really special is not just
adding the brandy and thesweetener to it, but it's the
spices.
So the warm, wonderful winterspices, cloves, cinnamon, and
star anise.
Doug (38:56):
And are we leaving these things like whole, like floating
in the pot or whole and throwthem in?
Catherine (39:01):
You can also add some fruit to this.
And those the best fruits toadd, in my opinion, are lemons
and oranges.
So you would want one of each.
And ideally, if you could havethem dried, that would be really
cool.
Doug (39:14):
Like slices of dried orange.
Catherine (39:15):
Slices of dried orange.
Slices of dried lemon.
Um, if you don't happen to havethose available and you don't
have the time and the patienceto dry them yourself.
Doug (39:24):
I'm not doing that.
Catherine (39:24):
Yeah.
Take a shortcut.
I believe in shortcuts, andzest a lemon and zest an orange
right into the pot.
Doug (39:33):
Well, you know, let me ask this then.
I always like using mymicroplane to zest, but are we
talking like maybe using a peelor doing a strip of zest so that
you don't lose it in the in thewine?
Catherine (39:44):
Well, now you're getting fancy.
Yeah.
You could absolutely do that.
But yeah, I was just gonnaplain old grab the microplaner
and give it a juzge.
Okay, good.
See, now you've got me thinkingabout new ideas for the how
it's gonna look this year.
Doug (39:56):
I feel like we're making a drinkable potpourri.
In the best way.
In the best way.
Could you also add like uh, Idon't know, slices of apple or
pear or something like floatthat in there just to make
sense.
Catherine (40:09):
It's it's kind of a I like to think of it as an
all-hands-on-deck recipe.
Yeah, choose your ownadventure.
What you happen to have.
Okay.
Um, I like the cloves, thecinnamon, and the star anise.
And I've done lemon and orange,but you could also go a little
crazy and throw a handful ofcraisins in there.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah, because they'd plump upreal nice.
That'd be great.
And if you're making it in timefor Thanksgiving or even
(40:31):
Christmas or some of the otherwinter holidays, you could throw
fresh cranberries in there ifyou happen to buy some.
Doug (40:36):
That would be super fun.
Yeah.
Now, when we have this on thestove, probably like a medium
heat, I imagine you don't wantthis to come up to a bubble.
Right.
Okay.
Catherine (40:46):
So give it about 20, 30 minutes, keep an eye on it.
And when you start to see thesteam rising.
Doug (40:52):
Yeah, those wisps of steam coming off of the surface.
That's when it's hot enough.
Catherine (40:56):
That's exactly right.
That's when it's hot enough.
And at that point, back theheat down because you don't want
to boil off all the boozygoodness that was in there to
begin with.
Doug (41:06):
Right.
You don't want to cook the wineor the brandy.
Right.
You just want it to be nice andhot.
Yes.
Okay.
Exactly.
Like a good cup of tea.
Catherine (41:13):
And really to serve it, just keep it in your stock
pot, grab a ladle, and ladle itinto mugs.
Because it's going to be warm,so you're going to want a handle
on that.
Doug (41:23):
Oh.
Well, this sounds like perfect,whether it's like a starter at
Thanksgiving or into Christmasor whatever party you're
throwing over the holidays.
Watching a football game.
There you go.
Yeah.
Catherine (41:34):
And it has the bonus of making the house smell
amazing.
Doug (41:38):
Back to my point.
It sounds like we're makingpotpourri, but drinkable.
Catherine (41:41):
Drinkable.
Highly drinkable.
Super tasty.
Doug (41:44):
Well, I think I want a cup of mauled wine, Catherine.
Catherine (41:47):
I'll make sure that happens for you this holiday,
Doug.
Doug (41:50):
Aw.
Catherine, thanks so much forthis recipe, and thanks for
being on the Pittsburgh Dish.
Always happy to talk with you,Doug.
You can follow Catherine onInstagram at your
fairywinemother.
That's U-R Fairy Wine Mother.
Do you have a recipe?
Share it with us.
(42:11):
Just visit our website atwww.pittsburgdish.com and look
for our share a recipe form.
If you enjoyed the show,consider buying us a coffee for
this episode or supporting theshow monthly.
You can find links to thoseoptions at the bottom of our
show description.
And if you want to follow myown food adventures, you can
find me on social media at DougCooking.
(42:33):
That's our show for this week.
Thanks again to all of ourguests and contributors, and to
Kevin Solecki of CarnegieAccordion Company for providing
the music to our show.
We'll be back again next weekwith another fresh episode.
Stay tuned.
Welcome to The Pittsburgh Dish.
I'm your host, Doug Heilman.
Are you looking for that new,cozy yet chic spot with a
flavorful eclectic menu andstellar cocktails?
Danielle and Rob welcome you inthe Hey Babe.
And if you're warming up tofall flavors and the
(00:24):
anticipation of holidaygatherings, our wine expert
Catherine Montest offers up awine recommendation in the form
of a recipe.
All that ahead, stay tuned.
Well, thank you so much forcoming over.
Dani (00:39):
Thank s for having us, Doug.
Doug (00:40):
Yeah, thanks for having us.
And for being on the show.
Would you take a moment tointroduce yourselves to our
listeners and what you havegoing on?
What's your role right now inthe world of food?
And Dani, can we start withyou?
Dani (00:54):
Sure.
I'm Danielle Kane.
I'm married to Rob, businesspartners with Rob as well.
We just opened Hey Babe in EastLiberty in the middle of June.
So we're a month four.
Wow.
We're tired, we're excited.
Everybody's been so welcomingand excited about us being
there.
So that's what we have goingon.
(01:14):
Yes.
That's it.
Doug (01:15):
And Dani, your main role at the restaurant, you're in the
kitchen, is that right?
Dani (01:20):
I am the chef.
We hire this amazing chef decuisine.
His name's Daniel Okren.
Um we've known each other foryears.
And uh he runs the kitchen, andwe're together.
We're great partners in that.
Um, and I think people can seethat through the food.
Rob (01:38):
Yes.
Doug (01:38):
And Rob, how about you?
Rob (01:40):
And I'm Rob Hirst.
Um partners uh in life and inHey Babe with Danielle.
Doug (01:48):
And I take care of the front of the house, which you do
very well.
We've been there a few timesnow, and I see you out in about,
which I love as a restaurant,uh seeing a restaurant tour,
kind of be with the guests whenthey can.
Uh so you're helping seat folksand the bar uh traffic and all
of the things sort offront-facing.
Everything front-facing, yeah.
Rob (02:09):
I I take care of uh as well as um drink creation, yeah.
Curating the menu as far asdrinks, wine, beer, um, and that
sort of thing.
Doug (02:19):
And Dani, are you and your chef de cuisine?
Are you responsible forchanging up the food menu?
All those items.
Dani (02:26):
All those things together.
Um, and we also have great souschefs.
So really keeping peopleengaged and you know, talking
through it.
We're really good about tryingnew things, talking to each
other about it, because that'san art in and of itself to be
able to criticize each other'sfood and take criticism.
Right.
And so um, we're great at that,at being like, what about this?
(02:49):
Yeah, this is going somewhere,let's work on it.
This is probably a dead end.
You need to sleep on this for afew weeks.
Doug (02:55):
Such a productive way to keep innovating that menu.
I will say, and just to remindour listeners, you're located in
the Maverick Hotel in EastLiberty.
This was the space that wasformerly occupied by the Ace
Hotel in the Whitfield.
You're in the bar loungesection, and you've done such a
great job.
So I want to talk about decor.
But let's go into food rightnow.
Since you were talking aboutthat menu creation, uh, there
(03:17):
are uh so many dishes on themenu that I think really hit
spectacular notes with spice andtexture and flavor together.
Can we talk about some of thewhat you see as a signature
that's sort of popping out onthe menu or something that's a
hot cellar?
Dani (03:33):
Sure.
I mean, I think the eggplant,you probably have seen it all
over social media.
I put it on my right.
That's it's probably the mostpopular dish we have right now.
Um, the five spice pork bellyis doing really well.
Rob (03:46):
Salmon tartare does very well.
Doug (03:48):
Salmon tartare as well.
I these are like a lot of thesmall bites, but the menu has uh
like sandwiches and sort ofshareable large plates.
How do you both describe thespace?
Like how what do you wantpeople to think of as hey babe?
Is it a cocktail bar with food?
Is it a restaurant?
You know, what's the mood or orthe the setting you're trying
(04:08):
to strike?
Rob (04:10):
It's it's really all of those things.
I mean, it's uh we just wanteda a neighborhood place that was
very, very comfortable.
Um back in the day, which let'ssay 10 years ago or or 12 years
ago, there were more loungierplaces that you could just show
up at with, you know, gatheringa bunch of friends or just on a
date night or or what have you.
(04:32):
And you know, little by little,and I think the pandemic sort
of thinned that out a lot.
Um, and we, you know, we livein the East End and we were
always struggling on you knowour nights off together.
Like, where do you want to goout for you know, a drink, or
just let's just meet for adrink, or let's let's meet for a
drink and some appetizer, justyou know, a a nice night out.
So we wanted to provide that,honestly.
(04:53):
You know, when we got theopportunity of this space, we
looked at the space and it's abeautiful building.
I mean, we're we're reallylucky to have this opportunity.
Doug (05:00):
T his is the historic YMCA building here in East
Liberty.
Rob (05:04):
Yeah, it's beautiful.
Um, you know, and we're rightacross the street from the
beautiful church.
Um, but you know, we looked atthe building and we're like,
this is such a nice piece ofarchitecture, and it's so
beautiful, but it's all straightlines, you know.
Yeah, everything is like, youknow, hard edge straight lines.
And we just looked at thatspace and we're like, we need
to, you know, make it softer.
One of our through lines waslike we want to give everybody a
(05:27):
hug.
So that's you know, an invitingspace that everybody feels
comfortable in that we wantelevated service, but we don't
want to be stuffy andpretentious, and like, you know,
you can show up how you showup.
You know, we have people thatthat stay because it's also a
hotel, so they're just coming infrom traveling along travel.
So they they're road weary andthey come in and they, you know,
(05:48):
it's a virtual check-in, soit's a little strange of an
experience.
So we have people like rightoff a plane come in and they
have all their bags, and andthen we have people that come in
in suits, you know, after workand or after their pickleball
match and sweaty.
So it's just you know, it it'sit's really cool to walk around
the the lounge and see how manydifferent types of people are
(06:12):
are enjoying and and how they'reenjoying the space and the food
and the drink.
So I know that's a long answer.
That's a long answer to yourvery easy question.
Dani (06:21):
I think people thought it was going to be a cocktail bar
with a few bites and then aresurprised that there is a full
menu and the how diverse it is.
Um, and we wanted to make itaccessible, you know, for the
person that wants a burger on aTuesday night, as well as, you
know, a beautiful strip steak.
Doug (06:37):
I have been that person, by the way.
Yeah.
Well, I do.
I love that.
I think some of the notes thatRob you just hit is we are
terrible planners and you guysaren't a reservations place.
You're open usually around fourto, you know, question mark 10,
11 on certain nights.
And you can kind of come injust for a drink.
You can come in for a couplebites, you can come in with
(06:58):
friends and have like a properdinner, but it does feel upscale
yet relaxed.
I think the thing that I loveis not just like the mood and
the colors, but it's even like alittle decoey.
When you were saying that youintroduced curves, like I saw
some of the work on the bar andjust everything is um curve, uh
curvaceous, but like kind oflike voluptuous in a way, in a
(07:18):
in a in a cool way.
And then I I think about themenu as well.
Like it is really diverse, justlike your clientele.
Danny, did you have that sortof vision or expectation that
we're gonna have things thatmight lean Mediterranean or
Moroccan or or all American?
Like, was that always in yourhead?
Dani (07:36):
Well, I think my background is pretty diverse.
So I enjoy certain flavors.
And then working with Daniel,he's from Boston, so he sort of
has that sensibility and reallyloves Mediterranean flavors,
where I lean into more Asian,maybe um, you know, those sorts
of flavors.
And then our pastry chef isLily Tran, who was the chef at
(07:58):
Soba.
Yes, um, after I was.
So we have a mixed group ofpeople that, you know, really
lean into the things thatthey're into, and we go for
that.
Doug (08:07):
Okay, not just a mixed group, a powerhouse group.
But yeah, it's really, reallynice.
Dani (08:12):
We have a really, you know, our whole goal was to hire
nice people, work with nicepeople, and um create a family.
Create a family.
And I know that sounds cheesybecause people like to say that,
but the kitchen especially,we're very tight and we talk
through things and get reallyexcited about what we're doing.
Doug (08:29):
I love that.
Dani (08:30):
But we wanted to keep it small because I think we know
about the uh problems in therestaurant world about keeping
staff right now.
So creating a menu that couldbe produced easily, but is
delicious.
Rob (08:45):
It's very hard to describe because everybody's asked me,
like, what kind of food is it?
And it's just it's so eclecticand it's it hits so many marks
and it has so many differentflavors, even in one dish.
And I think uh my wife is verygood at doing that, even like
during the pandemic, we had thisthing where she was uh keeping
a journal of uh all the dishesshe'd make like every night was
(09:07):
a different dish.
Doug (09:08):
Right.
You had the time to reallyexperiment.
Rob (09:10):
And it was it was really lovely uh to see that just all
the different flavors that shewas introducing.
You know, it's it was it was anice uh break from a monotonous
sort of time, you know.
Doug (09:22):
I I will say too, I think as we kind of go forward on the
menu, it's diverse and yet it'sstill approachable.
I mean, my husband'svegetarian.
We've had, I think it's off themenu now, but it was a mushroom
poor boy that was so good.
I mean, there's a lot ofvegetarian things on.
I think I've also noticedgluten-free on there.
So even though we're talkingabout these various ingredients
and high spice, like there'ssomething for everyone when
(09:45):
you're coming in.
Dani (09:46):
We have a whole separate gluten-free menu.
We hand people.
Um I have family members withceliac disease, so it's very
important to me to make the menuaccessible, especially my niece
who's 14, you know, and sort ofthe awkwardness of having to
announce it and be like, whatcan I eat to make it easy for
people and feel welcome and theyare pretty grateful.
(10:09):
Yeah.
Rob (10:10):
I mean, the the fact that we have a separate menu for, you
know, if you're vegan or ifyou're gluten-free and
incredible.
I didn't know that was this.
Doug (10:18):
I could ask for something else.
That's that's a good idea.
Dani (10:20):
I kind of joke that we became this vegetarian
restaurant, which we're not, butwe are very vegetable.
Rob (10:27):
You're welcoming to it.
I think everything is veryaccessible, you know.
It's even with the cocktails,you know, we're embracing the
fact that people are are uhwanting low ABV cocktails or
also non-alcoholic cocktails.
Yes.
Even if they're not notdrinking per se, you know, we
have a lot of people that comein and they'll start off with a
martini or and then they'll endwith a non-alcoholic just
(10:50):
because they don't want toconsume that much alcohol, but
they still want to sort of be ata table having something with
friends.
Doug (10:57):
So, so smart.
We just talked about that on aprevious episode of the NA
movement.
I also like that you brought upthe low alcohol movement, sort
of like the aperitif, becausesometimes that's just really all
you want or need.
And it is on the menu uhstraight out in front of you,
the non-alcoholic beers and themocktails.
Uh, we didn't talk yet aboutthe the bar program per se.
(11:20):
Just like the crispy eggplant,are there a couple of drinks
that you're really proud of orthat are also some go-tos for
some of your patrons that arecoming in?
Rob (11:30):
Um, yeah, I mean, I I have uh several.
A couple have just launched,but a couple of the the ones
that I know that are tried andtrue have just come off the
menu.
Okay.
Uh just seasonal.
Sure.
Um for seasonal reasons.
But um, I mean, the one that Iyou know, it's sort of cheesy,
but the espresso martini that Ithat I was able to sort of took
a long time to figure it out andfigure out what worked and uh
(11:54):
to do it right.
To do it right, yes.
Yes.
On draft.
On draft.
On draft.
Wait, I did not know that.
So the whole idea of it was,you know, uh one is is everybody
wants to go to a bar and get acraft cocktail and they want it
fast.
Well, you know, the twosometimes don't uh really jive
when you're when you're makingeverything from scratch.
(12:14):
So I tried to create a bar menuthat was, you know, we have
scratch cocktails or we batchfrom scratch cocktails, or we
have things on tap, on you know,keg cocktails.
So that's one of the thingslike you know, everybody loves
an espresso martini, they'revery popular.
Um, I sort of got this ideathat I wanted to make it sort of
(12:34):
like a Guinness, so you get itin a little pilsner glass, yes.
Um, and it sort of cascadeslike a Guinness to uh face,
beautiful head.
Yeah, yeah.
So that's one of the ones I'mproud of because everybody seems
to uh enjoy it and it worked.
Took a minute to get it towork.
Um but uh you know, we haveanother uh, you know, I um I had
(12:55):
a friend come in from uh Oregonwho used to bartend uh old soba
days, um, and I started a uhbricolage with him, um, David
Turkell.
And uh so he we collaboratedwhen we were opening on
cocktails, um, which was reallyfun.
Um, but uh we came up with thiscocktail called uh little baby
(13:17):
Jeffrey, which you know tooksome t twists and turns and the
name, and and uh it basically itwas a Oaxacan old-fashioned um
it had a uh lychee saffronsyrup, um, and uh dried dragon
fruit garnish on the the bottom.
And so you would initially getthe cocktail and it would be a
(13:38):
clear cocktail, and then you'dget midway through the cocktail
and the the color of the dragonfruit, the purple would permeate
it.
Yeah, so then the drink wouldsort of over time change.
Oh and that was a you know thatwas a happy, happy accident.
Um, but it just it it took off.
Yeah, and so really proud ofthat that drink.
Doug (13:58):
There's some new fall cocktails on that are really
good.
We're recording in fall rightnow, so I did notice as I was
looking, some of your menu itemshave just changed across the
board.
I do have one moredrink-related question.
I hope I'm saying it right.
Pandan?
Pandan, yeah.
Yeah, I've had the soda.
Can we describe for ourlisteners what some of those
flavors are that you take out ofthat soda?
(14:20):
Very hard to describe.
Rob (14:22):
It's kind of like Pandan is sort of like cilantro.
Either you love it or youdon't.
Yeah, there's the camp that,and you know, I think it's 7030
because a lot of people send itback.
They're like, I don't likethis.
But um, it's not for everybody,but it's delicious.
And and the story of that isthat I would go to Portland,
Oregon for um their cocktailweek.
(14:43):
And there was this place calledPac Pac, which is oh yeah, the
Pac Pac restaurant.
Yeah.
Um, and uh they're they nolonger exist, they went out of
business, but their house waterwas uh infused with Pan Dam.
So and this is uh a leaf or agrass.
It's like a it they say pandaleaf, but I think it's like a
like a grass.
Yeah, it's about three, fourfeet tall.
(15:05):
In the states, you get itfrozen, pretty much any Asian
store in the frozen section.
But uh, anyways, so Pac Pac wasa little drive outside of
Portland, and you come back tothe the conference and you'd be
like, Oh, where'd you go?
We went to Pok Pok.
Everybody'd be like, Did youhave the water?
Like, yeah, I did.
Why is it so amazing?
(15:26):
And then I think my last timeout there, Danielle came out
with her.
I'm like, we have to go to PokPok.
And then she fell in love withthe water.
And so it was sort of this pactthat if we ever opened a
restaurant, we would have thatin some capacity.
And so, like the like theespresso martini, I wanted to
put make a seltzer and put it ontap.
(15:48):
So that also took a little bitto sort of perfect that because
I mean I have the Pok Pok book,but they don't talk about the
water at all.
And I'm like, that is just ait's just a simple thing that
everybody's just like talkingabout.
Doug (16:00):
So you're infusing the these leaves into a seltzer
water.
Is there syrup in there too?
Rob (16:05):
I put a little bit of so I basically um We don't have to
give away any syrup.
Yeah, right.
The super secret.
But yeah, so I I've I figuredout that I steeped it or infused
it several different ways overseveral, you know, two days,
three days hot and then cold.
And you know, do I burmix it?
Do I not?
Do I just chop it?
So I came up with a, you know,I figured out how to do that.
(16:28):
And then, you know, I have to Iadd just a tinge of malactic
acid to it.
I add the ingredients to tomake the seltzer uh happen.
Um, and then you know, as faras the sweetener, I make it five
gallons at a time if I make aum special tea that sort of
matches the flavors becausethose flavors are are uh you
(16:49):
know, I it's a little seaweed,but it's not that's I say grassy
and a little nutty, a littlenutty, and maybe even a note of
like a vanilla-y flavor.
Doug (17:00):
Not the same.
Yeah, yes, but it's it's that.
Rob (17:02):
And you even make a cocktail out of that, right?
Yes.
Um, it's um it's a pandemichighball.
And we use Toki Japanese whiskwhiskey.
Oh, yeah, yeah.
Um, and we use the pandemic andthen just a simple twist.
Man, it's delicious.
Doug (17:16):
I'm glad you guys love it and kind of put it out there.
I also, this is such a sidenote, but I'm always looking for
things that don't raise myblood pressure, and it is noted
to lower blood pressure.
Oh fun fact.
Yeah.
So I don't know, I wouldn't saythat that's medication, but
yeah, right.
It could be a nice side note.
Dani (17:31):
Yeah.
Rob (17:31):
It's a nice balance.
Dani (17:32):
Yeah.
This is Danielle Cain
Rob (17:35):
And this is Rob Hirst.
Dani (17:37):
And you're listening to The Pittsburgh dish.
Doug (17:41):
Dani, has there been anything on the menu in terms of
the food side that has beenreally uh a work or a
collaboration that you're like,I'm so happy we have this on
now, but it maybe took a littlewhile to get there?
Dani (17:53):
Yeah, Dan and I collaborate.
unknown (17:55):
Yeah.
Doug (17:56):
Bits and pieces.
Okay.
Dani (17:57):
Even before we opened like the salmon tartare, I was like,
okay, we're having salmon onthe menu.
Let's use the excess pieces.
Doug (18:05):
With the tartar.
Dani (18:06):
With the tartare. And um same thing.
Being in New York, Rob and Itook a trip many, many years
ago, and they had a whole itwas a t Decoy.
Oh it was. And we had thesalmon skins.
And they served as a littlesnack.
And that was another thing.
We're like, if we ever open aplace, those are so good.
So I mean, this this came onreally late, maybe two days
(18:28):
before we opened.
And Dan's like, I can do thesesalmon skins, and they're
amazingly delicious.
Um, and now he curses himselfbecause he's the only one that
makes his job, but it's it'sit's painful.
It really does elevate that.
Yes.
Yeah, it's it's fun, it'sdifferent.
Doug (18:47):
What I love hearing throughout both of your stories
is all of this rememberedflavors and the journeys you've
taken and sort of the notes thatyou've been taking along the
way.
So I'd love to uh pivot alittle bit and talk about your
backgrounds because this isn'tyour first foray into food and
beverage.
Dani (19:05):
No, mine's much shorter than Rob.
He'll probably speak up therest.
Doug (19:11):
Well, uh let me ask this.
Did you did you all meet in thefood world?
Is that how you came together?
Yes.
And how long ago was that?
Dani (19:19):
I think we met somewhere around the year 2000.
I was um, I did my internshipfrom culinary school downtown at
Casbah.
And uh Big Burrito gives halfoff to their employees on
certain days.
So um a group of us wouldalways go to Mad Mex Oakland.
Rob Hirst was the originaliconic bartender at Mad Mex
(19:41):
Oakland.
Everybody knows him from thosedays.
Oh, so we first met, then verybriefly.
And then um, I was married atthe time and had my daughter and
came back after maternity leaveto Soba, and Rob was there, and
it was just like, Oh, hey,buddy.
Yeah, you did a joke.
(20:02):
Uh right.
And he's like, Oh, glad you'rehere.
Um, and we became friends thatway.
Um, years later, when mydaughter was eight then, I'm
gonna go into this part, youknow, got a divorce.
Um, and then we had beenfriends for a year, and then a
couple of years later we gottogether.
Okay, yeah.
So, but we met at Soba.
Well, Soba's sort of a the cometogether.
Doug (20:23):
Soba's when we became friends.
Speaker 1 (20:25):
Yeah.
Doug (20:26):
And I think thinking about the Soba menu again over in
Shady side on Ellsworth Avenue,and the big burrito group does
such a great job, I can seewhere some of your flavor
profiles probably have emanatedfrom, right?
Yeah.
Definitely.
Well, I love that you forgedthis partnership through you
know all of these experiences.
And thank you again so much forbringing so much great food and
(20:46):
beverage to a new spot in town.
When you guys were kind ofcoming up in your own respective
families, did you ever thinkthat this career path would be
the place that it's taken you?
Dani (20:58):
Probably not for me, but you know, I went to college and
then went to culinary school andfell in love with everything
about it.
Um, I think my parents weredisappointed.
Oh, expecting a certain journeyfor their daughter and then
really embraced it and were veryexcited.
Doug (21:17):
They learned who you were actually and what you really
wanted to do.
Dani (21:20):
Exactly.
So, you know, and and being onthis journey, it's it's uh, I
don't think there's that manyfemale chefs, especially in this
city, who have children.
Um, so being able to be a chefin the industry, take a take a
break, run events, get a wholedifferent side of the industry.
So, you know, I could actuallybe there for my daughter because
(21:43):
the industry is not great forever attending a fake win or a
soccer game or any of thesethings.
So that step away from it wasreally important to me.
Um, and I don't regret a secondof that.
But then, you know, now thatshe's off to college, this was a
big thing for us to be like,okay, what are our dreams
(22:04):
actually?
So let's do it.
You're doing it right.
We're doing it.
We're doing it right.
We're doing it.
Yeah.
Doug (22:08):
It's happening.
Dani (22:09):
It's all happening.
Doug (22:10):
Did I hear you didn't grow up in Pittsburgh?
Dani (22:12):
Is that right?
I was born here.
I grew up in Arizona.
You did.
And then came back to P.
Doug (22:17):
We had implanted the magnet in some.
Exactly.
Dani (22:20):
It happens to a lot of people.
Doug (22:23):
And uh, you know, since you are like this really
accomplished chef, what was foodlife like at an early age?
Were you cooking at an earlyage?
Dani (22:30):
Not at all.
Not at all.
No, I I think I learned how touse the toaster in six in the
sixth grade.
It was a joke in the family.
But um, yeah, it was later inlife that I was into it.
Doug (22:40):
I'm so glad you got into it.
Rob (22:43):
Yeah.
Rob, what about you?
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in the East End.
I grew up in Morningside.
So hop, skip, and a jump fromuh Hey Babe.
Yeah.
Um yeah, I'm an East Ender.
Doug (22:53):
So how did you fall into like the the original Mad Mex
and the big burrito group?
Rob (22:59):
Um, well, uh funny enough, I I'd gone to school uh for uh
art and architecture.
Oh um, yeah.
I I went to I went to PennState for two years and then I
transferred home and uh went toPitt.
I dual majored in architecturalstudies and design, art and
design, um at Pitt.
(23:19):
And while I was in school, Iactually was uh doing this
externship uh for an architectin in Squirrel Hill.
And I really I was I moved backhome and I was just trying to
find a job.
You're finding your way.
Yeah, I was finding another jobto sort of get out of the
house, you know, get my ownapartment.
I knew some people that um Ihad some friends that were
(23:40):
working at Mad Mex, the originalMad Mex in Oakland.
Uh that was when there was onlyone uh you know, one now the
bygone location.
Doug (23:48):
It was so small, but what a great little bar.
Rob (23:50):
It was great.
Yeah, it was heartbreaking tosee it close.
But anyways, you know, and theyI heard that they were opening
another Mad Mex.
And I was like, oh, can you getme an interview?
And so I went to an interviewthinking that I was interviewing
to work at that Mad Mex, andhere I was interviewing to work
at Kaya.
They were opening Kaya, sort ofright after on the heels of Mad
(24:14):
Mex North Hills, yes, they wereopening Kaya.
And I actually uh interviewedwith Tom, uh Tom Barron and Juno
Yoon at the time, which werethe owners.
Original owners, yeah.
And so I got that job.
Um, I got that job as abartender, uh, not knowing
anything about bartending, anduh, you know, I sort of lied on
(24:34):
my application.
Doug (24:36):
You did you knew how to make a drink?
Yeah.
Uh no, I didn't.
Rob (24:39):
Honestly, uh, I knew about drinks, yeah.
I knew about drinking, but Ididn't know how to make a drink.
I just I had some other friendsand my friend Brian, who I grew
up with in in uh high school,his father owned calico's in in
in Oakland, and I used him as areference.
I'm like, you never let mebartend here.
I did everything there, DJ towork the door.
(25:00):
I'm like, you gotta tell themthat I bartended for the car.
They didn't call any of myreferences.
I put a bunch of references forPenn State that I knew all the
bars closed down.
Um, and then I had other otherother friends that had like bar
books, and and I just learned.
I just learned on the job.
I I just followed people behindthe bar.
I'm like, oh, they're doingthis.
(25:21):
This is what I should be doing.
So it's crazy uh because I feellike still feel like that
person that I'm gonna be foundout.
Doug (25:28):
Oh, oh, imposter syndrome.
Welcome to the world.
Hello.
Rob (25:31):
But you know, shortly after that, the other crazy thing is
like within a year and a half, Iwas opening Soba as the bar
manager, and like you know, it'scrazy how life takes, you know.
So, you know, I took a left allof a sudden, like I was just
enthralled by what Big Burritowas doing.
You know, that world sort ofmagical.
It was before Instagram, it wasbefore, you know, the internet
(25:54):
was the internet, but it wasbefore the whole explosion of
like, you know, even good diningtoo.
Doug (25:59):
Like, I came home from Penn State and and Big Burrito
was was it.
It was really the first thingthat had concepts and unique
flavors, flavors, not a chain,you know, these these different
restaurants that you got such adifferent experience.
Yeah, and sort of uh I I'mthinking now back to the point
that you made about going forart and architecture as well.
You're working in some reallycool design spaces, which
(26:22):
probably let your space, yourspace is great.
You know, I I think I mentionedearlier, I think it's deco and
it's moody.
I'm sure you had influence, butRob, did you kind of point to
like this is what I want, theseare some things I want to have
happen.
Rob (26:36):
Yeah.
I mean, it all so soon afterthat Kaya opening, I've been
sort of wanting to do my ownplan.
And I've been trying, you know,like writing a business plan or
seeing a space, you know.
Um, I also opened, uh, youknow, started was one of the
founding members of Bricolage.
So yes, so keeping my toe inthe art world and like I'm
(26:56):
inspired by spaces, uh, andthose dictate sort of feel and
and sort of vibe and absolutelyright.
So when we got the opportunity,you know, to do this space, you
know, there were a lot ofunderlying themes and and sort
of feels that we wanted, butsort of the space started to
dictate, you know, it's likethis is what the space has, this
(27:18):
is what we want, and this nowthis is what the space needs.
So and we started with the westarted with the lamp.
Dani (27:23):
I started with this lamp, the custom giant lamps, yeah.
Rob (27:27):
It wasn't the same exact one, but we started with that.
And we're like, this is thefeeling we want.
Starting point, and so it allspun off from that.
So yeah, it's you know, it wasa it was a journey.
Dani (27:37):
And I would say Rob designed like 90% of that.
Well, partners probably, right?
But what the hell?
Well, Walmart Charmers, uhyeah, but um, yeah, Rob really
is aware of functionality.
That bar from the old ace hotelis beautiful.
How do we continue that bar?
So we hired Dylan Stein tocontinue that bar.
(28:01):
That was a challenge.
Doug (28:02):
Yeah, um, and then I love the stained glass behind glass,
it kind of echoes the church.
Dani (28:08):
That was the goal, but make it funky, it totally is
also hide the dumpster area.
Doug (28:14):
That's true.
Now I do I do have a pressingquestion, and this came up from
my husband, Greg.
The wall that is what used tobe the old Whitfield, are you
ever thinking about getting intothat space?
Will there ever maybe be anexpansion?
Dani (28:28):
So I think it was Cha Cha Real Smooth, I think, was filmed
in during the pandemic.
During the pandemic in thehotel.
That's when they put the builtthat wall for that.
Doug (28:39):
It looks very temporary.
Dani (28:40):
Yeah, it is.
And um, it was just left up.
So it will be our dining room.
We are making plans.
Speaker 1 (28:49):
Okay.
Dani (28:50):
Um, but it sort of works now to be able to shut the door
when construction starts.
And that was terrorists.
Because it's uh it's notappealing.
Yeah, the one day we werethere, it was the wall's not
appealing.
The wall is appealing.
Rob (29:03):
It also it also helps that horrible echo that we get.
It's a sound just bounces offthat wall.
So we'd we'd like to get backto an open space.
Doug (29:12):
I'm so excited for that.
I know that you've let folks inthere.
If the if the tables are allfull, you've invited us to go
sit there and have a drink whilewe're waiting too.
So uh again, just love it.
Rob (29:22):
Right now, currently we we use it for uh private events or
semi-private events.
If we guys are doing that,yeah.
We're we're getting a lot ofpeople that want to like can we
have a 25-person party in thelounge?
And and and you've seen thelounge, it's it's small.
Yeah.
Um, you know, we fit 60 to 70people in there, but if you have
a larger party, you know, over10 or 12 people, it gets it just
(29:46):
doesn't get practical.
So we offer that instead, whichhas been working perfectly
until we, you know, we get thedining room in there.
Doug (29:53):
I love a phase two.
Yeah.
We'll be we'll be rooting forit.
Dani (29:57):
We're excited.
Doug (29:58):
Uh is there anything else uh Upcoming anything else in the
works?
Dani (30:02):
I mean, the ultimate goal is to find ways to connect with
the community and do moredinners and fundraisers and that
sort of thing.
And um, even though it feelslike now we've been, well, we
have been working on thisproject for a year, but it's
really only come to life forfour months.
So it's like we're stillgetting our sea legs and getting
(30:23):
it.
So getting to that point is umthat we can take on more things.
Rob (30:28):
Yeah, navigating that building.
I mean, it's a big, beautifulbuilding, but it's a big
building, and it's an oldbuilding.
So I feel like, you know, weare starting to hit our stride,
but uh it's been sort of a, youknow, it's been a journey just
figuring out the building andhow to work in the building and
how a restaurant functions inthe in the building.
The kitchen is uh, you know,big, beautiful kitchen, but it's
(30:50):
downstairs.
Doug (30:51):
I was wondering when I see food coming out and versus when
it was the Whitfield space, Iwas wondering if you were using
the same kitchen because thefood came from two different
places from my perspective as aguest.
So you're downstairs.
You are in the basement.
Rob (31:05):
And they do come from two different but the the big
beautiful building is sort of amaze.
So there's there's uh severaldifferent routes to get to the
same place.
Yeah, and and and um there'stwo stairwells, so and they're
both brutal.
Oh they're both running foodupstairs upstairs.
Dani (31:23):
And and the thing is when we open, most of our food
runners were either friends withor friend adjacent to our
daughter.
Um, so they're a bunch of18-year-olds who just graduated
from high school, about ready togo to college or in college.
And I mean, these stairs areawful, to be honest.
Rob (31:40):
And so if you want to come work for us, first busy night.
Dani (31:44):
I'm I'm just like, oh, you guys okay?
And they're like, we love this.
Oh my god.
This is so fun.
Crazy things happen out there.
This is amazing.
And I'm like, okay, I wouldprobably be complaining about
the stairs, but they're like,yes.
Me at 51 with a bad knee.
I love that.
Doug (32:00):
I'm 53 and I I hate those stairs a lot.
So well, maybe this will be aprolong all of our time here.
Dani (32:07):
That is a challenge.
You know, you need more staffmembers too.
Rob (32:11):
We were blessed with a great opening staff.
The best, the best stuff.
Doug (32:15):
They were great.
They continue to be great, butwell, I think it's all
wonderful.
I'm so excited.
It is one of our new favoritespots.
Yes.
Dani (32:23):
Our ultimate goal is just to have a nice neighborhood
place where people like to cometo.
Doug (32:28):
I think I saw on the website too.
You you you use that term thirdspace.
You know, it's not work, it'snot home.
It's just come hang out.
Speaker 1 (32:35):
Yep.
Doug (32:35):
Again, just have a drink.
You don't need a reservation,have a little bite or have a
full meal.
You know, Hey Babe is one ofour new, our new spots for all
of that.
Dani (32:43):
And we will have reservations once we open the
other side.
Doug (32:45):
Yeah, you might need to, right.
Yeah.
Rob (32:47):
The lounge, lounge will say reservation free, but the other
side will be a place to bookyour reservation.
Speaker 1 (32:54):
Okay.
Doug (32:54):
Well, let's do this.
Let's remind folks too again ofyour current hours of
operation, uh, and your websiteand socials.
What what are the is there aday that you're closed right
now?
Just Sunday.
Just Sunday.
So you're open every other dayof the week, but you open around
four.
Is that right?
Four o'clock every day, yeah.
And you go to ten most days.
Rob (33:13):
The kitchen is open uh until ten.
Okay.
Um and we the bar really has uhit's it's open till whenever we
die down.
And then on the weekends, thekitchen is open until 11.
Doug (33:24):
And you guys are located at 120 Whitfield.
South Whitfield.
South Whitfield, which istechnically the Maverick Hotel.
Used to be the Ace Hotel, ifsomebody remembers that.
Right nice little library.
Yeah, right in the heart.
And lots of parking.
That parking lot right behind.
It's not hard to get there,Pittsburghers.
It's not.
Yeah, there is that parkingbehind.
Dani (33:42):
Um I know it's such a Pittsburgh thing, but we want to
see open later for food, uh,late night food, and to you
know, stay a little later anddrink, but I don't know what's
happening.
I mean, I don't know if peoplego out later.
Doug (33:53):
Well, yeah, I think, you know, you have to go with the
groove of what's happening now.
You know, I hear all these GenZers they don't drink, which is
fine, but maybe they also don'tstay out so late, which is not
my generation.
Not my generation.
We were out till two.
Dani (34:06):
They were kicking us out too.
And now it's like it hits 11and everybody will just leave,
and you're like, okay.
You know, it's just not there,I guess.
But we'll see what happens.
Doug (34:18):
And before I forget, let's also remind folks of your
website and your social handles.
Do you guys know what that is?
Rob (34:28):
Uh yeah, the the website is uh heybabe pgh.com.
And the social, I mean social.
Yes.
I looked it up.
Yeah.
It's heybabe.pgh.
That's right.
Speaker 1 (34:39):
That's correct, Doug.
Okay.
Doug (34:42):
I know that's actually a stumper, and I need I do my I do
minimum research, but that'sthe research I do.
Well, it's been such a pleasuretalking with you both and
getting to know you.
I do have one final questionfor you, and you can answer this
separately or together.
The name of the show is thePittsburgh Dish.
What's the best dish you've hadto eat this past week?
(35:07):
Oh, I know what that is.
Dani (35:10):
The gnocchi.
Oh, the at Leo Greta.
Doug (35:12):
Yeah.
Oh, you both the same for bothof you?
Dani (35:15):
We just went with some friends.
We had never been there before.
Greg, we know Chef Greg foryears, and we just said never.
We don't get out much.
I think you realize in theindustry you want to support
your other friends in theindustry, but then you have we
have one day off and it'sSunday, and none of the places
are open.
So you're like, okay.
Um, but known them for years.
We're like, let's finally getthere.
And the gnocchi, oh my god.
Rob (35:36):
Oh my god, it's fantastic.
Dani (35:37):
Amazing.
Rob (35:38):
Pillows of heaven.
Doug (35:39):
Yes.
Yeah.
Leo Greta is is actually nearwhere we're recording, just in
Carnegie.
And it actually has two spots,it has a lovely dessert and
coffee spot too.
Yes.
But the Italian food isincredible.
And I don't think I've had thegnocchi.
Rob (35:52):
So it was it was incredible.
Dani (35:54):
It was incredible, yes.
Very accessible.
Rob (35:56):
We ordered a lot, but we didn't order that, and he just
sent it out.
And I'm I'm glad he did becauseit was it was lovely.
Dani (36:02):
Yep.
So we only we only get to eatout once a week.
Of course.
We call it feeding day becausewe don't get to eat them.
We're too busy during the week.
So on Sundays we try to consumeour week's calories.
Doug (36:16):
Exactly.
Dani (36:16):
Get out there and do it.
Doug (36:20):
Daniel Cain, Rob Hirst, thank you both so much for your
time today.
And thanks for being on ThePittsburgh Dish.
Thanks for having us.
So fun.
Up next, our resident wineexpert, Catherine Montest,
offers up both a winerecommendation this week, but
also a recipe.
Let's have a listen.
(36:41):
Hey Catherine.
Hi there, Doug.
Catherine, as we get to some ofthese, you know, chillier weeks
of the year, we're enteringinto fall to winter time.
I know that some folks do uhsomething called mauled wine.
Have you ever done that?
It's like a warm hug in a mug.
Oh, so you as a wine drinker,you like mauled wine.
(37:04):
Of course.
I I don't think I've ever hadit.
Catherine (37:06):
Oh, Doug, you're missing out.
Okay.
Doug (37:08):
Do you have like a recipe or something you could share
with us?
Catherine (37:11):
I sure do.
Excellent.
And um, it couldn't possibly beeasier.
Oh.
Uh get a big pot if you've gota Dutch oven.
That's great.
Doug (37:20):
Something that would like kind of hold steady heat.
Catherine (37:22):
Yeah, exactly.
Pour two bottles of inexpensivered wine of a variety that you
like.
It could be a red blend, itcould be Malbec, it could be
Pinot Noir, it could bewhatever.
It doesn't don't don't spend alot of money on it because
you're going to be doctoring itup.
Okay.
Doug (37:38):
This is kind of like the opposite uh in summertime when
we do sangria, right?
This is like winter's version.
Catherine (37:44):
Yeah, it ex that's a great way to put it, Doug.
I hadn't even thought of that.
Yeah.
So glug two bottles into yourstock pot and then add about a
half a cup of brandy or cognac,whatever you happen to have.
All right.
Um, brandy's not as expensive.
So I tend to go in thatdirection, especially if you're
making a big batch to serve alot of people.
Doug (38:04):
Okay.
Catherine (38:05):
And um, when you're buying the brandy, just get the
straight brandy.
Don't get the cute stuff that'sapple or peach flavored or
whatever that is.
All right.
Um, that could compete withyour wine flavor.
So you so you don't just plainold straight-up brandy.
Okay.
And you you're also going toneed a little bit of a
sweetener.
You've got some choices here.
You can use honey, you can usemaple syrup, you can even use
(38:26):
agave syrup if you want it.
Doug (38:27):
Okay.
Catherine (38:28):
And put a tablespoon in, but as it simmers, you're
going to maybe want to add moresweetness.
Doug (38:35):
Okay.
Catherine (38:36):
And you want to start with just a tablespoon.
Doug (38:38):
You can always add more, you can't take it away.
Catherine (38:40):
Exactly.
Gotcha.
Um, and so kind of what makesthis really special is not just
adding the brandy and thesweetener to it, but it's the
spices.
So the warm, wonderful winterspices, cloves, cinnamon, and
star anise.
Doug (38:56):
And are we leaving these things like whole, like floating
in the pot or whole and throwthem in?
Catherine (39:01):
You can also add some fruit to this.
And those the best fruits toadd, in my opinion, are lemons
and oranges.
So you would want one of each.
And ideally, if you could havethem dried, that would be really
cool.
Doug (39:14):
Like slices of dried orange.
Catherine (39:15):
Slices of dried orange.
Slices of dried lemon.
Um, if you don't happen to havethose available and you don't
have the time and the patienceto dry them yourself.
Doug (39:24):
I'm not doing that.
Catherine (39:24):
Yeah.
Take a shortcut.
I believe in shortcuts, andzest a lemon and zest an orange
right into the pot.
Doug (39:33):
Well, you know, let me ask this then.
I always like using mymicroplane to zest, but are we
talking like maybe using a peelor doing a strip of zest so that
you don't lose it in the in thewine?
Catherine (39:44):
Well, now you're getting fancy.
Yeah.
You could absolutely do that.
But yeah, I was just gonnaplain old grab the microplaner
and give it a juzge.
Okay, good.
See, now you've got me thinkingabout new ideas for the how
it's gonna look this year.
Doug (39:56):
I feel like we're making a drinkable potpourri.
In the best way.
In the best way.
Could you also add like uh, Idon't know, slices of apple or
pear or something like floatthat in there just to make
sense.
Catherine (40:09):
It's it's kind of a I like to think of it as an
all-hands-on-deck recipe.
Yeah, choose your ownadventure.
What you happen to have.
Okay.
Um, I like the cloves, thecinnamon, and the star anise.
And I've done lemon and orange,but you could also go a little
crazy and throw a handful ofcraisins in there.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah, because they'd plump upreal nice.
That'd be great.
And if you're making it in timefor Thanksgiving or even
(40:31):
Christmas or some of the otherwinter holidays, you could throw
fresh cranberries in there ifyou happen to buy some.
Doug (40:36):
That would be super fun.
Yeah.
Now, when we have this on thestove, probably like a medium
heat, I imagine you don't wantthis to come up to a bubble.
Right.
Okay.
Catherine (40:46):
So give it about 20, 30 minutes, keep an eye on it.
And when you start to see thesteam rising.
Doug (40:52):
Yeah, those wisps of steam coming off of the surface.
That's when it's hot enough.
Catherine (40:56):
That's exactly right.
That's when it's hot enough.
And at that point, back theheat down because you don't want
to boil off all the boozygoodness that was in there to
begin with.
Doug (41:06):
Right.
You don't want to cook the wineor the brandy.
Right.
You just want it to be nice andhot.
Yes.
Okay.
Exactly.
Like a good cup of tea.
Catherine (41:13):
And really to serve it, just keep it in your stock
pot, grab a ladle, and ladle itinto mugs.
Because it's going to be warm,so you're going to want a handle
on that.
Doug (41:23):
Oh.
Well, this sounds like perfect,whether it's like a starter at
Thanksgiving or into Christmasor whatever party you're
throwing over the holidays.
Watching a football game.
There you go.
Yeah.
Catherine (41:34):
And it has the bonus of making the house smell
amazing.
Doug (41:38):
Back to my point.
It sounds like we're makingpotpourri, but drinkable.
Catherine (41:41):
Drinkable.
Highly drinkable.
Super tasty.
Doug (41:44):
Well, I think I want a cup of mauled wine, Catherine.
Catherine (41:47):
I'll make sure that happens for you this holiday,
Doug.
Doug (41:50):
Aw.
Catherine, thanks so much forthis recipe, and thanks for
being on the Pittsburgh Dish.
Always happy to talk with you,Doug.
You can follow Catherine onInstagram at your
fairywinemother.
That's U-R Fairy Wine Mother.
Do you have a recipe?
Share it with us.
(42:11):
Just visit our website atwww.pittsburgdish.com and look
for our share a recipe form.
If you enjoyed the show,consider buying us a coffee for
this episode or supporting theshow monthly.
You can find links to thoseoptions at the bottom of our
show description.
And if you want to follow myown food adventures, you can
find me on social media at DougCooking.
(42:33):
That's our show for this week.
Thanks again to all of ourguests and contributors, and to
Kevin Solecki of CarnegieAccordion Company for providing
the music to our show.
We'll be back again next weekwith another fresh episode.
Stay tuned.
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