INGOOD TASTE
Vincent Capuano , Executive Chef and Co‐GM , Needle & Pin Cocktail Bar & Eatery
Needle & Pin Cocktail Bar & Eatery 3271 W . Liberty Ave ., Dormont ; 412.207.9724 , needle-pin . com
Candid conversations with the dining scene ’ s most engaging chefs
cordial ). Brunch is also served every Sunday and is a variety of house-made breads , seasonal jams and syrups plus libations .
On the Menu : A modern gin bar offering an eclectic mix of Indian and English fare . Plates include Bombay Greens of hydroponic living lettuce , roasted ginger and tamarind vinaigrette , toasted cashew and coconut , cucumber raisin and carrot with crumbled paneer ; English Cheese with Indian Accoutrement , featuring imported English cheese , house-made jam and mustard with English toast , pickled and candied dressing ; Scotch Eggs with chicken sausage ; Curried Chicken Pot Pie made with a house pan gravy , mirepoix , puffed pastry and scratch ghee ; and Cumin Crusted Lamb Lollipops — to name a few . The drink menu consists of contemporary and historic cocktails , from Negronita Spagliata ( a Bombay dry gin , luxardo aperitif , boiserre rouge prosecco ) and One Long Flight ( two Indies Indian rum , del professor rouge , house triple cherry bitters ) to Aviation ( bluecoat gin , maraschino liquer , lemon , demerara and crème de Violette ) and the Gimlet ( Hayman ’ s royal dock gin and lime
Dijon and thyme crusted wild boar chops with rutabaga mash , blistered cherry tomatoes and kumquats .
Q A What led you to be a chef at
Needle & Pin ? I worked for Giant Eagle Market District for nine years managing different departments , but I got my taste for food while being a butcher and cheesemonger ( an accreditation similar to a sommelier , but for cheese ). After I graduated from California University of Pennsylvania , I earned a job as a butcher on a farm in Uniontown . A butcher is a butcher and a chef is a chef , but by learning the art of butchering , I received a huge advantage over a chef , because I learned skills that contribute to the basics of cooking . I know techniques from how to grind meat to emulsifying it . Last March , I interviewed [ for Needle & Pin ], got the job in April and we opened in May — and I will do everything I can to make it work . Our owner , Shiv , is an amazing person and our crew is small , but everyone believes in everyone else . This job is a dream come true — I feel like I ’ m in a movie .
Vincent Capuano , Executive Chef and Co-GM of Needle & Pin Cocktail Bar & Eatery .
Describe Needle & Pin . The concept is conceived from the British takeover of India — or the Raj Period . And the name Needle & Pin means “ Give Me a Gin ” in Old English . As a restaurant , we [ have ] an Indian owner and we address the cultural fusion of both cultures .
What ’ s your favorite quick meal to prepare at home ? In my kitchen at home , I have freezer pops . Essentially , I go to my parents ’ house in Robinson once a week and we cook a massive , full-on meal together , such as fried chicken , mashed potatoes , green beans and biscuits — or pasta . My father , Timothy , cooked in Italy when he was in the Navy and he taught me a lot — especially that anybody can tell me anything and give me feedback on my cooking . My dad is the most amazing man in the world . I hope I ’ m half as good as him . He ’ s been to Needle & Pin a bunch of times . The waitresses say he ’ s so proud of me and that hit me so hard — there ’ s nothing better .
Other than your restaurant , where ’ s your favorite place to eat ? My favorite place is LaPrima in the Strip District . Everything is fresh and made from scratch . It ’ s Italian , not American Italian — it ’ s delicious . I usually order a cappuccino and a baked good of my choice and it literally changes my life .
What ’ s the next big food or dining trend ? It ’ s either gourmet BBQ , Pittsburgh heritage food , or craft butchering ( hanging meat )— they could all be on the rise . n
— Reese Randall
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