July 31, 2025 • 25 mins
On Episode 12 Karen Mac Nair talks with Andres, owner of Goki Cafe where Mexican culinary traditions meet contemporary creativity in the heart of Arcadia. Goki Cafe will be presenting some of their dishes at the Taste of Arcadia.
For more information and tickets to the Taste of Arcadia visit TasteOfArcadia.com.
Follow us on social media. Join us for another episode of Tasting Arcadia.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Karen Mac Nair (00:12):
Hello everyone.
I am Karen McNair, the CEO ofthe Arcadia Chamber of Commerce.
I am so excited we are on thesecond season of Tasting Arcadia
.
This is the second episode ofthe second season.
Time is going fast.
We are excited to have theowner of Goki Cafe in Arcadia.
(00:33):
His name is Andres Welcome.
Andres (00:36):
Thank you very much, Carrie.
Karen Mac Nair (00:38):
So we're excited to get to know a little bit
more about Goki Cafe, one of myfavorite places, along with one
of the Chamber's favorite places.
Why don't you tell me a littlebit about your business, of
course, we're a family-owned andoperated business.
Andres (00:51):
I originally work from Mexico, my family is from Oaxaca
and my wife is from Sonora, sothe North and the South together
.
Karen Mac Nair (01:00):
Okay.
Andres (01:02):
Our kids grew up in Oaxaca and then we moved to Los
Angeles.
I was working for the Consulateof Mexico and retired and put
the business my wife.
She's a pastry chef.
She studied a professionalbakery and then we decided to
open the business, but we did itin the wrong time.
Karen Mac Nair (01:21):
Oh, no, yeah, what year was it?
Andres (01:23):
It was 2020.
Karen Mac Nair (01:25):
Wow, right in the middle of the pandemic.
Andres (01:27):
Actually we got the seal from the health department the
last approval one week beforethe pandemic was.
Karen Mac Nair (01:35):
Wow.
Andres (01:35):
So it was a hard time, but now we have already five
years in business and we're veryhappy to give service to the
people, to the community.
Our focus is like Mexicaninspiration, but with a
contemporary style.
Karen Mac Nair (01:49):
Okay.
Andres (01:50):
And then we do mostly sweet pastries and coffee.
We have also a small savorymenu, but our focus is more the
pastries, all my white peppers,the kitchen and the coffee,
which is also a Mexican coffeeI'd love that.
Karen Mac Nair (02:09):
I'd love that.
It is unique, a representationof who you are as a family and
also a representation of who weare as a community.
So it's a beautiful expansionof all of that.
So why don't you tell me alittle bit about where you're
actually located?
Where is Goki Cafe?
Andres (02:29):
Goki Cafe is exactly crossing the street from the
metro station, so no way to getlost.
Our address is 214 North 1stAvenue.
Okay, it's Northern HuntingtonAvenue in Arcadia.
Karen Mac Nair (02:46):
Okay, Love that and your hours of operation.
When can we come to Goki Cafewe?
Andres (02:50):
open every day at 7.30 in the morning and depends on
the day of the week we close.
You have to check our hours atInstagram.
Yelp or Google.
But I can say that from Mondayto Wednesday we close at 3.
Thursday, friday and Saturdayat 5 o'.
From Monday to Wednesday weclose at 3,.
Thursday, friday and Saturdayat 5 o'clock and Sundays we
(03:13):
close at 2.
But I always ask to check ourclosing hours because sometimes
it changes.
But be sure that if you gothere at 7.30, it will be
already open.
Karen Mac Nair (03:18):
Okay, so to be smart, you check the hours, but
you also think if you're goingto have coffee, it needs to be a
little bit earlier in the day,right?
Not many people, unless it's anespresso martini, I guess.
Not many people have coffeeafter three anyway.
Andres (03:32):
Yeah, we have rush hours and most of our customers come
in the morning, but we're openalso in the afternoon,
especially in the weekends.
People want to relax.
Karen Mac Nair (03:43):
That makes sense , come with family.
Andres (03:45):
Friday, saturdays, yeah, but in the morning, yeah, we
were serving coffee all the day.
Karen Mac Nair (03:50):
Okay, great, now you shared a little bit about.
Your wife and yourself are inthe business together.
Are there any other familymembers that are helping with
your business?
Andres (03:58):
Actually, the whole family works there.
My daughter is the manager,she's our boss.
She graduated from Cal Poly,pomona.
She's public relations andsince we opened she's been
working with us very hard.
My two kids they also help.
My son-in-law, he also helps mykids are one of them.
(04:23):
He's still studying, so he'sthere helping us sometimes.
And mother, my other kid, hecomes and goes from Mexico.
Oh, wow, yeah, but we'reactually just six people working
, three of them three of usfull-time and the rest just
helping from well, that is a.
It's a it's very interestingbecause, uh, when we nobody knew
(04:46):
anything about a business, yes,so we have learned in the
process and I think that it'sbeen a very good lessons for
them, good educations.
I think that when we opened thebusiness when the pandemic was
in the peak, they make a veryreliant, restless.
(05:09):
I mean to affront the situation.
The times were very hard.
We never closed.
We tried to serve the people,and especially them.
Karen Mac Nair (05:22):
They understood that life was not easy, so I'm
very happy that we have passedthrough that process uh-huh and
that they have learned a lot onthat you know it's a tough
training ground to be doing itlive and in person when things
are hard, but you've been agreat model for your children to
how to keep going, so I feellike that was a great life
(05:43):
lesson.
So good job, dad.
Andres (05:45):
Thank you.
Karen Mac Nair (05:46):
Okay, I want you to tell me a little bit about
your logo, because it hasbeautiful peacock feathers.
Most people might attributethat to being in Arcadia, but I
feel like there's a story behindit.
Do you mind sharing that littlehistory story of your logo?
Andres (06:01):
It is.
As I mentioned, my family isfrom Oaxaca, so there we speak
Zapoteco, which is an indigenouslanguage.
It's a very strong andimportant indigenous community
group culture and in Zapoteco,the peacock, which is the icon
of Arcadia, means you translateit into the royal bird or the
(06:24):
noble bird.
Okay, so it sounds like beregoki.
Bere means bird and goki meansnoble or royal.
So we wanted to attach ourgrounds, our culture, our
origins, with some importantthing of Arcadia, the icon of
Arcadia.
Yes, so that's how we met thetwo bases that we are set up Our
(06:51):
origin, our culture, and thecity that has hospitals.
Karen Mac Nair (06:55):
That has to take care of all the royal birds
that are walking on the streets.
We know to go to Goki Cafe forthat reminder.
Andres (07:01):
Yes, so that means a noble royal, but also the symbol
is of course the feathers, butit's also mentioned that it also
has to be with the coffee, ifyou see, there it's like a
coffee bean shape, oh nice.
And also my wife says that it'sour three kids, so one feather
for each of our kids.
Karen Mac Nair (07:22):
I love that.
Definitely family-centered andcommunity-centered that is
awesome.
Andres (07:27):
It's a noble coffee.
That's what we want to inspirethe novelty of our culture, of
our origins.
Karen Mac Nair (07:34):
That is a great story.
Okay, we're going to talk alittle bit about Goki itself.
What is your favorite dish orpastry that your wife is making
for Goki?
What do you feel like is your?
Andres (07:46):
favorite.
I brought some uh, I like a lotof banana nut bread, which is
not here, and the cranberrypecan cookie.
I like it very much for me.
I'm not a very sweet person, Idon't like, but sometimes I do
and I always try.
(08:07):
The conscious are wonderful aswell.
Karen Mac Nair (08:09):
I mean I try not with them too much, but but at
least one at one a week yeah, Iagree, your conscious are
delicious, but you do have torun around the block to burn off
the calories to make sure.
Andres (08:22):
So yeah, that's my.
And related to coffees, I likea strong coffee, I like the
double espresso or a cold brewor an Americano, short Americano
.
If it's in the morning, Ialways.
We get there at 5 o'clock inthe morning.
Karen Mac Nair (08:40):
Okay, so you need the strong stuff.
Andres (08:42):
And I do a double shot of espresso every morning.
That's my first thing in mystomach.
Karen Mac Nair (08:49):
I would agree with that.
That early you'd need a blast.
So what is the most popularthing that's ordered at Goki
Cafe?
Andres (08:57):
Okay.
For pastries, I would say thatthe churro cheesecake which is
here.
Okay, the Mexican-stylecornbread.
Karen Mac Nair (09:04):
Okay, very excited to try all that, very,
very good.
Andres (09:08):
The conchas, of course.
Karen Mac Nair (09:10):
The conchas are very, very popular.
Andres (09:12):
The coffee cake is also popular as well, and my wife
every other week she makessomething.
It depends on the season.
Now we have the carrot nut cake, which is very good, moisture
carrot nut cake, which is verygood, moisture, very and I would
say that she has a wide varietyof uh options and some of them
(09:32):
we have them for good all thetime and some of them they are
moving.
Depends on the depending on theseason okay but uh, and as I
mentioned at the beginning, thisis a Mexican inspiration, but
it's like her story there, sothings that she likes and she
tries to make up or improve orsomething that she learned.
(09:53):
So you wouldn't findnecessarily the conchas you
would find in the market.
Karen Mac Nair (09:57):
Okay.
Andres (09:59):
This is a different style.
It's a concha that she invented.
Karen Mac Nair (10:03):
Her inspiration are the family recipes, or does
she add her own flavor to them?
Andres (10:08):
There are family recipes we just had.
Her mother was visiting us liketwo months ago.
Karen Mac Nair (10:15):
Okay.
Andres (10:15):
And we made the arroz con leche de la abuela.
The grandma's arroz con leche.
She has a lot because her storyis also very interesting.
She was, she grew up in Sonora,in Hermosillo, and her aunt she
used to have a bakery apanaderia.
So she says that in theafternoon she stayed with her
(10:37):
friends to play with dolls.
She was going to play with thedoll, so that's how she learned
and she was always inspired withthat.
Karen Mac Nair (10:51):
So that's what is behind her.
That's a great way to beinspired is by yeah, she was
like four years old.
Oh, family inspiration Love it.
Do you feel like there'ssomething in your business that
you're most proud of?
We hear a lot about the legacyof your family.
Is there anything that reallymakes you so happy?
Andres (11:09):
I think that surviving the pandemic was.
Karen Mac Nair (11:12):
I'd agree with that.
Andres (11:15):
Even for my own story.
I didn't do any business beforeand I have worked in the
government, in the privatesector, in Mexico, here in the
United States, and then openinga business in the worst time in
the world.
Yes, no knowledge about thebusiness, not my country, all
(11:39):
the challenges that we have.
So that's what makes us veryproud.
Karen Mac Nair (11:45):
You know you are a chamber member so we're very
proud of that for you, alsobecause to watch your new
business grow and your legacy inthe community continue to grow
and being partners together inso many things.
It makes us proud that you arestill around and flourishing, so
good job.
Andres (12:02):
Thank you, and we're also proud about being a member
of the Chamber of Commerce.
Karen Mac Nair (12:08):
Thank you.
Andres (12:09):
All the support that we have from you is being wonderful
for our business.
Karen Mac Nair (12:13):
Thank you.
I appreciate that we try sogiving back to you.
What is a way the community,the people listening, ways we
could support you?
What would be a great way tosupport your business?
Andres (12:23):
Well, give a chance to visit us and live the experience
.
I think this is the best timeof supporting us and also to
have a good experience for thepeople.
Karen Mac Nair (12:33):
Yes.
Andres (12:34):
They still don't know us .
I'm surprised that we I thinkthat we have grown fast and many
people know about us, but stillwe have some people that we
need to reach.
Karen Mac Nair (12:49):
It's word of mouth helps you, just sharing
about it.
Andres (12:52):
Our growth has been very organic, so most of our
customers are very loyal.
They come back or they spreadthe word and say Hi, somebody
recommend me.
That's how we've been growingsince we started.
Karen Mac Nair (13:07):
Great.
So the reason we're here is totalk about Taste of Arcadia.
Just to let everybody know,Taste of Arcadia is coming.
It is September 13th at SantaAnita Park.
We're starting to sell tickets,we're getting food and drink
vendors confirmed and Goki Cafeis going to be there.
I am proud to announce if Icould do a drum roll.
(13:28):
It's your first time at thisevent, so we're really excited.
Can you share a little bitabout some things you're
planning to bring for?
Andres (13:37):
Taste.
Thank you.
We're also very excited to bepart of this important event.
This time, of course, we'll bewith some of our pastries,
probably the cornbread, which isvery popular.
It's going to be hot, so we'replanning to bring also iced
coffee.
Karen Mac Nair (13:54):
Love that.
Andres (13:54):
We have a very nice medium roast coffee from Chiapas
, from Mexico, so probablyanother kind of pastry, some
cookies.
Some of our cookies are verypopular as well.
Karen Mac Nair (14:09):
I smile because that's going to make so many
people happy.
Some nice iced coffee and agreat pastry and cookie.
They're going to love it.
Yeah, thank you.
So is there anything else aboutyour business you wanted to
share before we dive in andtaste some of these great
goodies?
Andres (14:24):
well, I think that we.
There's something that I reallywas surprised when we opened
Most of our customers are notMexicans, but many Asian people,
(14:45):
of course, live in Arcadia.
We have a very good base ofAsian people and I was surprised
because when we opened, I wastelling my family so who's your
customer?
Do you have Mexicanos goingthere?
No, we do, but most of ourcustomers are people that they
want to try differentexperiences different tastes
from, not necessarily theircultures, and that's something
(15:07):
that really makes me proud and,at the beginning, surprised.
But now that we're servingother cultures, other kind of
people, and I learn a lot fromthem, other kind of people and I
learn a lot from them.
I try to chat a lot with mycustomers, give a very direct
customer service, so I havelearned a lot in these five
(15:28):
years about different people,different cultures, and that's
something that I will alwayshave here in my heart and in my
mind.
Karen Mac Nair (15:36):
I love that.
I love that it is something.
Food crosses all borders,boundaries.
It just helps bring peopletogether.
So, like culturally, it helpsus get to know each other.
So that is a great story toshare.
So everyone who's out therelistening in front of us now, we
have one, two, three, four,five wonderful pastries that we
(15:57):
are going to hear about andtaste those of you who are
watching on the YouTube channelwe're going to get to taste them
.
So why don't we tell us about afew of them?
And then I'm going to try them.
Andres (16:08):
Okay, let's start with it.
Well, this is the cornbread,the Mexican-style cornbread.
Karen Mac Nair (16:14):
Okay, oh, everything's packaged too.
Andres (16:16):
So if you, want to do it .
Karen Mac Nair (16:19):
You're going to hear that those are things you
can pick up and take them towork with you.
Andres (16:23):
Yeah, and also everything is labeled.
Karen Mac Nair (16:25):
Okay.
Andres (16:25):
So you know what exactly you're eating.
If you go there, you can checkthe labels and see what you're
eating.
Karen Mac Nair (16:31):
Okay, great.
Andres (16:32):
Because some people they don't eat peanuts, for example.
Karen Mac Nair (16:38):
Any food allergies?
Andres (16:39):
yeah, so fresh and packaged and labeled.
Karen Mac Nair (16:43):
This is a cornbread, this is cornbread.
Andres (16:45):
It's a recipe that my wife developed.
It's a Mexican-style cornbread.
Karen Mac Nair (16:51):
It looks very moist, so we use real corn.
Andres (16:56):
This is actually our number one seller.
Okay.
Karen Mac Nair (16:59):
So for the cameras, here we go.
Andres (17:01):
Everyone at home, I'm taking a bite of the cornbread.
Good chocolate from Oaxaca ohwe didn't bring the chocolate
you guys, everyone said okay,just having the cornbread.
Mmm, it's like cake yeah, it'svery moisture and very moist, so
good.
Karen Mac Nair (17:22):
It does definitely have a cake
consistency, rather than I grewup with, like a chili and
cornbread.
This is much more of a pastry.
It is a pastry, yes, tastingmelts in your mouth, delicious.
Andres (17:34):
And it could be a very good start in the morning.
I have noticed that in themorning people go get more bread
, For example the cornbread, thecoffee cake, the banana nut
bread example the cornbread, thecoffee cake, the banana nut
bread, and right in theafternoon some people get sleepy
a little bit of coffee and apastry, so we have also cookies.
(17:54):
These are very popular in thecookies in the afternoon.
This is called Aleph cookie andthe reason it's called Aleph is
because my youngest son, hisname, is Aleph and these were
his favorite.
Okay, so my wife named it afterhis the Aleph cookie.
Aleph because my youngest son,his name is Aleph and this is
his favorite, okay.
So my wife named it after his.
Karen Mac Nair (18:09):
The Aleph cookie .
Aleph cookie yeah, so it's achocolate buttery chip cookie.
Andres (18:15):
We also have an oat milk chocolate chip cookie, but this
is just buttery chocolate.
Karen Mac Nair (18:20):
So this cookie.
To help describe it, it is achocolate chip but it's thin.
Andres (18:23):
It's thin, yes, it's not .
And the package comes with two.
Karen Mac Nair (18:27):
With two packaged in there.
I'm going to show the camera.
Check that out.
Love that.
Andres (18:33):
Those are very popular as well.
Karen Mac Nair (18:35):
It looks like a moon, a full moon, with its
beautiful chocolate chips in it.
Mmm, I know I'm not supposed totalk with my mouth full, but
this is delicious.
This would be great, even withtea.
We talked about coffee a lot,but I know you have a great
array of teas that you servethere.
Andres (18:54):
We have a tea, a very local tea from Oaxaca.
It's called a poleo tea.
It's very refreshing.
It's very good for bloodpressure, for the stomach.
It's from the family of themint.
Oaxaca is very good for bloodpressure, for the stomach.
Oh, it's from the family of themint.
Okay, and Oaxaca is verypopular.
I call it the Mexican Gatorade.
Okay, that's a joke, becauseit's very good for hydration.
Karen Mac Nair (19:15):
Uh-huh.
Andres (19:16):
Even for hangovers.
Karen Mac Nair (19:18):
Oh, now you're going to have a line on Sunday
morning.
Andres (19:23):
Let me tell you this In Oaxaca, when the parties are
lost, like for three days, theylast for three days you have,
for example, a quinceanera or abaptism or a wedding.
So the very last day they giveyou your basket in the villages
you have baskets with the mole,chicken, rice, tortillas and
(19:45):
they put your some leaves fromthe tea so you can make your own
tea the day after.
Karen Mac Nair (19:51):
Oh, and then you can get relief.
Andres (19:53):
That is nice, but besides that it's a very healthy
tea.
You can have it hot, which is atraditional way.
We also serve it cold.
Karen Mac Nair (20:03):
Okay.
Andres (20:06):
It's very good for thirsting.
It's very, very good.
Okay, it hydrates very well andand it also helps with your
stomach with blood pressure veryhealthy oh, I love that.
Karen Mac Nair (20:16):
I'm gonna have to go try that.
Yeah, okay, what do we havenext?
Andres (20:19):
this is a.
This is also something that mywife made up.
This is a, a churro cheesecake,so that shows her history
coming to the US, because it hasthe Spanish-Mexican inspiration
of the churro, but also a baseof a cheesecake, so it's not a
(20:42):
long churro like you would think.
Karen Mac Nair (20:43):
Just help describe it it is a square like
a cake but it looks like theconsistency is like a churro on
the inside.
Andres (20:53):
The consistency it has cinnamon, of course.
Karen Mac Nair (20:56):
Oh, cinnamon on the top sprinkled.
Andres (20:59):
This is also very popular and you eat it cold.
Oh, you eat it cold.
Yeah, we have it in the ref atthe store and that's a pastry
that you eat it cold.
Oh, you're cold.
Yeah, we have it in the ref atthe store and that's a pastry
that you eat cold.
It's like a cream in the middle.
Yeah, wow, so good.
Karen Mac Nair (21:16):
I do love the cinnamon.
I'm a big cinnamon fan.
Andres (21:19):
All right, so in the same family, the last two.
Karen Mac Nair (21:22):
It's a good thing, the same family.
Andres (21:23):
This is a tarta de queso cheese tart.
Karen Mac Nair (21:26):
Okay.
Andres (21:27):
So imagine that this is a Spanish-style from San
Sebastian.
Karen Mac Nair (21:33):
Okay.
Andres (21:34):
And imagine that this is also gluten-free options.
We have gluten-free and veganoptions at the store.
Karen Mac Nair (21:40):
Oh, vegan too.
So gluten-free and vegan.
This is a gluten-free option.
Andres (21:44):
Yeah, vegan too.
So gluten-free and vegan.
This is a gluten-free option,yeah, and then it's like it's
very similar to a cheesecake,but without the crust?
Karen Mac Nair (21:51):
oh no, crust, it's circular yeah, it's also
creamy.
Andres (21:55):
It's a good dessert as well I'm trying, sometimes we
put the red fruits on the topand it also makes it very
delicious.
Karen Mac Nair (22:04):
You can strawberries, blackberry, all
the berries this is a greatsummertime with your dinners
delicious.
It really is creamy.
Your wife does have a talentboy, thank you okay, and then
the last one this for thesurprise, for this season and
this is a cuatro leches, nottres leches, oh so there's four.
Andres (22:28):
She added an extra leche extra milk.
Karen Mac Nair (22:31):
I'm smiling for all the people to see.
Andres (22:34):
And I love the pecs because it's a cow, you see, oh
it is.
Karen Mac Nair (22:37):
I love that.
So there's the casing it is in.
It looks like a small bowl, butit has the white with the black
spots like a cow andstrawberries sprinkled on top
with whipped cream.
Is that whipped?
Andres (22:51):
cream in there.
That's cream, yes.
Karen Mac Nair (22:53):
Okay With the cake.
Andres (22:58):
And cuatro leches, no tres leches.
Karen Mac Nair (23:01):
Mmm, you can hear me chewing.
That is delicious.
The strawberries on top, thatis a nice little tart kick.
Andres (23:11):
A little bit of balance with the acidity and the
sweetness of the cake.
Karen Mac Nair (23:16):
So smart.
I forget that, becausesometimes if it's too sweet,
this is a nice balance.
Andres (23:22):
And also something that we try to do is not abuse of the
sugar, even that we sell sugar.
Karen Mac Nair (23:29):
Yes.
Andres (23:30):
She tries to keep more accent on the different
ingredients that compose thepastry.
Karen Mac Nair (23:39):
I so love that because I feel like then you
genuinely get to enjoy the wholedessert.
Sometimes, if it is too muchsugar, too sweet, it gets cut
off too soon, although I'm sureall of you chocolate and sugar
lovers out there just think I'mnuts for even saying that more
and more and more, but it is agood balance.
It really is.
Well, thank you so much forbeing here.
(24:01):
We just want to encourageeveryone that's listening visit
Goki Cafe, Try some of thesewonderful desserts, some of the
teas, some of the coffees, andthen let's go to Taste of
Arcadia.
Andres (24:14):
Yay.
Karen Mac Nair (24:15):
September 13th, let's buy our tickets for Taste
of Arcadia.
You go to tasteofarcadiacom.
I also want to encourage you.
August 3rd is the last day forthe early bird special for
tickets.
On August 4th it goes up to $79.
So it's only $69.
So get your tickets today.
(24:35):
Continue listening to ourTasting Arcadia podcast on your
favorite podcast channel.
We'll be on YouTube, spotify,apple Podcasts, iheartradio Just
a great way to continue to seewho else will be at Taste of
Arcadia.
My mouth is watering.
This is so hard to do a tastingshow.
(24:56):
I don't know how they do it ontelevision.
I'm trying to make it work, soI apologize, but it's just so
delicious.
So thank you everyone forlistening.
Stay tuned for our new podcastepisode coming soon.
And thank you so much.
We will see you soon.
Bye-bye.
Hello everyone.
I am Karen McNair, the CEO ofthe Arcadia Chamber of Commerce.
I am so excited we are on thesecond season of Tasting Arcadia
.
This is the second episode ofthe second season.
Time is going fast.
We are excited to have theowner of Goki Cafe in Arcadia.
(00:33):
His name is Andres Welcome.
Andres (00:36):
Thank you very much, Carrie.
Karen Mac Nair (00:38):
So we're excited to get to know a little bit
more about Goki Cafe, one of myfavorite places, along with one
of the Chamber's favorite places.
Why don't you tell me a littlebit about your business, of
course, we're a family-owned andoperated business.
Andres (00:51):
I originally work from Mexico, my family is from Oaxaca
and my wife is from Sonora, sothe North and the South together
.
Karen Mac Nair (01:00):
Okay.
Andres (01:02):
Our kids grew up in Oaxaca and then we moved to Los
Angeles.
I was working for the Consulateof Mexico and retired and put
the business my wife.
She's a pastry chef.
She studied a professionalbakery and then we decided to
open the business, but we did itin the wrong time.
Karen Mac Nair (01:21):
Oh, no, yeah, what year was it?
Andres (01:23):
It was 2020.
Karen Mac Nair (01:25):
Wow, right in the middle of the pandemic.
Andres (01:27):
Actually we got the seal from the health department the
last approval one week beforethe pandemic was.
Karen Mac Nair (01:35):
Wow.
Andres (01:35):
So it was a hard time, but now we have already five
years in business and we're veryhappy to give service to the
people, to the community.
Our focus is like Mexicaninspiration, but with a
contemporary style.
Karen Mac Nair (01:49):
Okay.
Andres (01:50):
And then we do mostly sweet pastries and coffee.
We have also a small savorymenu, but our focus is more the
pastries, all my white peppers,the kitchen and the coffee,
which is also a Mexican coffeeI'd love that.
Karen Mac Nair (02:09):
I'd love that.
It is unique, a representationof who you are as a family and
also a representation of who weare as a community.
So it's a beautiful expansionof all of that.
So why don't you tell me alittle bit about where you're
actually located?
Where is Goki Cafe?
Andres (02:29):
Goki Cafe is exactly crossing the street from the
metro station, so no way to getlost.
Our address is 214 North 1stAvenue.
Okay, it's Northern HuntingtonAvenue in Arcadia.
Karen Mac Nair (02:46):
Okay, Love that and your hours of operation.
When can we come to Goki Cafewe?
Andres (02:50):
open every day at 7.30 in the morning and depends on
the day of the week we close.
You have to check our hours atInstagram.
Yelp or Google.
But I can say that from Mondayto Wednesday we close at 3.
Thursday, friday and Saturdayat 5 o'.
From Monday to Wednesday weclose at 3,.
Thursday, friday and Saturdayat 5 o'clock and Sundays we
(03:13):
close at 2.
But I always ask to check ourclosing hours because sometimes
it changes.
But be sure that if you gothere at 7.30, it will be
already open.
Karen Mac Nair (03:18):
Okay, so to be smart, you check the hours, but
you also think if you're goingto have coffee, it needs to be a
little bit earlier in the day,right?
Not many people, unless it's anespresso martini, I guess.
Not many people have coffeeafter three anyway.
Andres (03:32):
Yeah, we have rush hours and most of our customers come
in the morning, but we're openalso in the afternoon,
especially in the weekends.
People want to relax.
Karen Mac Nair (03:43):
That makes sense , come with family.
Andres (03:45):
Friday, saturdays, yeah, but in the morning, yeah, we
were serving coffee all the day.
Karen Mac Nair (03:50):
Okay, great, now you shared a little bit about.
Your wife and yourself are inthe business together.
Are there any other familymembers that are helping with
your business?
Andres (03:58):
Actually, the whole family works there.
My daughter is the manager,she's our boss.
She graduated from Cal Poly,pomona.
She's public relations andsince we opened she's been
working with us very hard.
My two kids they also help.
My son-in-law, he also helps mykids are one of them.
(04:23):
He's still studying, so he'sthere helping us sometimes.
And mother, my other kid, hecomes and goes from Mexico.
Oh, wow, yeah, but we'reactually just six people working
, three of them three of usfull-time and the rest just
helping from well, that is a.
It's a it's very interestingbecause, uh, when we nobody knew
(04:46):
anything about a business, yes,so we have learned in the
process and I think that it'sbeen a very good lessons for
them, good educations.
I think that when we opened thebusiness when the pandemic was
in the peak, they make a veryreliant, restless.
(05:09):
I mean to affront the situation.
The times were very hard.
We never closed.
We tried to serve the people,and especially them.
Karen Mac Nair (05:22):
They understood that life was not easy, so I'm
very happy that we have passedthrough that process uh-huh and
that they have learned a lot onthat you know it's a tough
training ground to be doing itlive and in person when things
are hard, but you've been agreat model for your children to
how to keep going, so I feellike that was a great life
(05:43):
lesson.
So good job, dad.
Andres (05:45):
Thank you.
Karen Mac Nair (05:46):
Okay, I want you to tell me a little bit about
your logo, because it hasbeautiful peacock feathers.
Most people might attributethat to being in Arcadia, but I
feel like there's a story behindit.
Do you mind sharing that littlehistory story of your logo?
Andres (06:01):
It is.
As I mentioned, my family isfrom Oaxaca, so there we speak
Zapoteco, which is an indigenouslanguage.
It's a very strong andimportant indigenous community
group culture and in Zapoteco,the peacock, which is the icon
of Arcadia, means you translateit into the royal bird or the
(06:24):
noble bird.
Okay, so it sounds like beregoki.
Bere means bird and goki meansnoble or royal.
So we wanted to attach ourgrounds, our culture, our
origins, with some importantthing of Arcadia, the icon of
Arcadia.
Yes, so that's how we met thetwo bases that we are set up Our
(06:51):
origin, our culture, and thecity that has hospitals.
Karen Mac Nair (06:55):
That has to take care of all the royal birds
that are walking on the streets.
We know to go to Goki Cafe forthat reminder.
Andres (07:01):
Yes, so that means a noble royal, but also the symbol
is of course the feathers, butit's also mentioned that it also
has to be with the coffee, ifyou see, there it's like a
coffee bean shape, oh nice.
And also my wife says that it'sour three kids, so one feather
for each of our kids.
Karen Mac Nair (07:22):
I love that.
Definitely family-centered andcommunity-centered that is
awesome.
Andres (07:27):
It's a noble coffee.
That's what we want to inspirethe novelty of our culture, of
our origins.
Karen Mac Nair (07:34):
That is a great story.
Okay, we're going to talk alittle bit about Goki itself.
What is your favorite dish orpastry that your wife is making
for Goki?
What do you feel like is your?
Andres (07:46):
favorite.
I brought some uh, I like a lotof banana nut bread, which is
not here, and the cranberrypecan cookie.
I like it very much for me.
I'm not a very sweet person, Idon't like, but sometimes I do
and I always try.
(08:07):
The conscious are wonderful aswell.
Karen Mac Nair (08:09):
I mean I try not with them too much, but but at
least one at one a week yeah, Iagree, your conscious are
delicious, but you do have torun around the block to burn off
the calories to make sure.
Andres (08:22):
So yeah, that's my.
And related to coffees, I likea strong coffee, I like the
double espresso or a cold brewor an Americano, short Americano
.
If it's in the morning, Ialways.
We get there at 5 o'clock inthe morning.
Karen Mac Nair (08:40):
Okay, so you need the strong stuff.
Andres (08:42):
And I do a double shot of espresso every morning.
That's my first thing in mystomach.
Karen Mac Nair (08:49):
I would agree with that.
That early you'd need a blast.
So what is the most popularthing that's ordered at Goki
Cafe?
Andres (08:57):
Okay.
For pastries, I would say thatthe churro cheesecake which is
here.
Okay, the Mexican-stylecornbread.
Karen Mac Nair (09:04):
Okay, very excited to try all that, very,
very good.
Andres (09:08):
The conchas, of course.
Karen Mac Nair (09:10):
The conchas are very, very popular.
Andres (09:12):
The coffee cake is also popular as well, and my wife
every other week she makessomething.
It depends on the season.
Now we have the carrot nut cake, which is very good, moisture
carrot nut cake, which is verygood, moisture, very and I would
say that she has a wide varietyof uh options and some of them
(09:32):
we have them for good all thetime and some of them they are
moving.
Depends on the depending on theseason okay but uh, and as I
mentioned at the beginning, thisis a Mexican inspiration, but
it's like her story there, sothings that she likes and she
tries to make up or improve orsomething that she learned.
(09:53):
So you wouldn't findnecessarily the conchas you
would find in the market.
Karen Mac Nair (09:57):
Okay.
Andres (09:59):
This is a different style.
It's a concha that she invented.
Karen Mac Nair (10:03):
Her inspiration are the family recipes, or does
she add her own flavor to them?
Andres (10:08):
There are family recipes we just had.
Her mother was visiting us liketwo months ago.
Karen Mac Nair (10:15):
Okay.
Andres (10:15):
And we made the arroz con leche de la abuela.
The grandma's arroz con leche.
She has a lot because her storyis also very interesting.
She was, she grew up in Sonora,in Hermosillo, and her aunt she
used to have a bakery apanaderia.
So she says that in theafternoon she stayed with her
(10:37):
friends to play with dolls.
She was going to play with thedoll, so that's how she learned
and she was always inspired withthat.
Karen Mac Nair (10:51):
So that's what is behind her.
That's a great way to beinspired is by yeah, she was
like four years old.
Oh, family inspiration Love it.
Do you feel like there'ssomething in your business that
you're most proud of?
We hear a lot about the legacyof your family.
Is there anything that reallymakes you so happy?
Andres (11:09):
I think that surviving the pandemic was.
Karen Mac Nair (11:12):
I'd agree with that.
Andres (11:15):
Even for my own story.
I didn't do any business beforeand I have worked in the
government, in the privatesector, in Mexico, here in the
United States, and then openinga business in the worst time in
the world.
Yes, no knowledge about thebusiness, not my country, all
(11:39):
the challenges that we have.
So that's what makes us veryproud.
Karen Mac Nair (11:45):
You know you are a chamber member so we're very
proud of that for you, alsobecause to watch your new
business grow and your legacy inthe community continue to grow
and being partners together inso many things.
It makes us proud that you arestill around and flourishing, so
good job.
Andres (12:02):
Thank you, and we're also proud about being a member
of the Chamber of Commerce.
Karen Mac Nair (12:08):
Thank you.
Andres (12:09):
All the support that we have from you is being wonderful
for our business.
Karen Mac Nair (12:13):
Thank you.
I appreciate that we try sogiving back to you.
What is a way the community,the people listening, ways we
could support you?
What would be a great way tosupport your business?
Andres (12:23):
Well, give a chance to visit us and live the experience
.
I think this is the best timeof supporting us and also to
have a good experience for thepeople.
Karen Mac Nair (12:33):
Yes.
Andres (12:34):
They still don't know us .
I'm surprised that we I thinkthat we have grown fast and many
people know about us, but stillwe have some people that we
need to reach.
Karen Mac Nair (12:49):
It's word of mouth helps you, just sharing
about it.
Andres (12:52):
Our growth has been very organic, so most of our
customers are very loyal.
They come back or they spreadthe word and say Hi, somebody
recommend me.
That's how we've been growingsince we started.
Karen Mac Nair (13:07):
Great.
So the reason we're here is totalk about Taste of Arcadia.
Just to let everybody know,Taste of Arcadia is coming.
It is September 13th at SantaAnita Park.
We're starting to sell tickets,we're getting food and drink
vendors confirmed and Goki Cafeis going to be there.
I am proud to announce if Icould do a drum roll.
(13:28):
It's your first time at thisevent, so we're really excited.
Can you share a little bitabout some things you're
planning to bring for?
Andres (13:37):
Taste.
Thank you.
We're also very excited to bepart of this important event.
This time, of course, we'll bewith some of our pastries,
probably the cornbread, which isvery popular.
It's going to be hot, so we'replanning to bring also iced
coffee.
Karen Mac Nair (13:54):
Love that.
Andres (13:54):
We have a very nice medium roast coffee from Chiapas
, from Mexico, so probablyanother kind of pastry, some
cookies.
Some of our cookies are verypopular as well.
Karen Mac Nair (14:09):
I smile because that's going to make so many
people happy.
Some nice iced coffee and agreat pastry and cookie.
They're going to love it.
Yeah, thank you.
So is there anything else aboutyour business you wanted to
share before we dive in andtaste some of these great
goodies?
Andres (14:24):
well, I think that we.
There's something that I reallywas surprised when we opened
Most of our customers are notMexicans, but many Asian people,
(14:45):
of course, live in Arcadia.
We have a very good base ofAsian people and I was surprised
because when we opened, I wastelling my family so who's your
customer?
Do you have Mexicanos goingthere?
No, we do, but most of ourcustomers are people that they
want to try differentexperiences different tastes
from, not necessarily theircultures, and that's something
(15:07):
that really makes me proud and,at the beginning, surprised.
But now that we're servingother cultures, other kind of
people, and I learn a lot fromthem, other kind of people and I
learn a lot from them.
I try to chat a lot with mycustomers, give a very direct
customer service, so I havelearned a lot in these five
(15:28):
years about different people,different cultures, and that's
something that I will alwayshave here in my heart and in my
mind.
Karen Mac Nair (15:36):
I love that.
I love that it is something.
Food crosses all borders,boundaries.
It just helps bring peopletogether.
So, like culturally, it helpsus get to know each other.
So that is a great story toshare.
So everyone who's out therelistening in front of us now, we
have one, two, three, four,five wonderful pastries that we
(15:57):
are going to hear about andtaste those of you who are
watching on the YouTube channelwe're going to get to taste them
.
So why don't we tell us about afew of them?
And then I'm going to try them.
Andres (16:08):
Okay, let's start with it.
Well, this is the cornbread,the Mexican-style cornbread.
Karen Mac Nair (16:14):
Okay, oh, everything's packaged too.
Andres (16:16):
So if you, want to do it .
Karen Mac Nair (16:19):
You're going to hear that those are things you
can pick up and take them towork with you.
Andres (16:23):
Yeah, and also everything is labeled.
Karen Mac Nair (16:25):
Okay.
Andres (16:25):
So you know what exactly you're eating.
If you go there, you can checkthe labels and see what you're
eating.
Karen Mac Nair (16:31):
Okay, great.
Andres (16:32):
Because some people they don't eat peanuts, for example.
Karen Mac Nair (16:38):
Any food allergies?
Andres (16:39):
yeah, so fresh and packaged and labeled.
Karen Mac Nair (16:43):
This is a cornbread, this is cornbread.
Andres (16:45):
It's a recipe that my wife developed.
It's a Mexican-style cornbread.
Karen Mac Nair (16:51):
It looks very moist, so we use real corn.
Andres (16:56):
This is actually our number one seller.
Okay.
Karen Mac Nair (16:59):
So for the cameras, here we go.
Andres (17:01):
Everyone at home, I'm taking a bite of the cornbread.
Good chocolate from Oaxaca ohwe didn't bring the chocolate
you guys, everyone said okay,just having the cornbread.
Mmm, it's like cake yeah, it'svery moisture and very moist, so
good.
Karen Mac Nair (17:22):
It does definitely have a cake
consistency, rather than I grewup with, like a chili and
cornbread.
This is much more of a pastry.
It is a pastry, yes, tastingmelts in your mouth, delicious.
Andres (17:34):
And it could be a very good start in the morning.
I have noticed that in themorning people go get more bread
, For example the cornbread, thecoffee cake, the banana nut
bread example the cornbread, thecoffee cake, the banana nut
bread, and right in theafternoon some people get sleepy
a little bit of coffee and apastry, so we have also cookies.
(17:54):
These are very popular in thecookies in the afternoon.
This is called Aleph cookie andthe reason it's called Aleph is
because my youngest son, hisname, is Aleph and these were
his favorite.
Okay, so my wife named it afterhis the Aleph cookie.
Aleph because my youngest son,his name is Aleph and this is
his favorite, okay.
So my wife named it after his.
Karen Mac Nair (18:09):
The Aleph cookie .
Aleph cookie yeah, so it's achocolate buttery chip cookie.
Andres (18:15):
We also have an oat milk chocolate chip cookie, but this
is just buttery chocolate.
Karen Mac Nair (18:20):
So this cookie.
To help describe it, it is achocolate chip but it's thin.
Andres (18:23):
It's thin, yes, it's not .
And the package comes with two.
Karen Mac Nair (18:27):
With two packaged in there.
I'm going to show the camera.
Check that out.
Love that.
Andres (18:33):
Those are very popular as well.
Karen Mac Nair (18:35):
It looks like a moon, a full moon, with its
beautiful chocolate chips in it.
Mmm, I know I'm not supposed totalk with my mouth full, but
this is delicious.
This would be great, even withtea.
We talked about coffee a lot,but I know you have a great
array of teas that you servethere.
Andres (18:54):
We have a tea, a very local tea from Oaxaca.
It's called a poleo tea.
It's very refreshing.
It's very good for bloodpressure, for the stomach.
It's from the family of themint.
Oaxaca is very good for bloodpressure, for the stomach.
Oh, it's from the family of themint.
Okay, and Oaxaca is verypopular.
I call it the Mexican Gatorade.
Okay, that's a joke, becauseit's very good for hydration.
Karen Mac Nair (19:15):
Uh-huh.
Andres (19:16):
Even for hangovers.
Karen Mac Nair (19:18):
Oh, now you're going to have a line on Sunday
morning.
Andres (19:23):
Let me tell you this In Oaxaca, when the parties are
lost, like for three days, theylast for three days you have,
for example, a quinceanera or abaptism or a wedding.
So the very last day they giveyou your basket in the villages
you have baskets with the mole,chicken, rice, tortillas and
(19:45):
they put your some leaves fromthe tea so you can make your own
tea the day after.
Karen Mac Nair (19:51):
Oh, and then you can get relief.
Andres (19:53):
That is nice, but besides that it's a very healthy
tea.
You can have it hot, which is atraditional way.
We also serve it cold.
Karen Mac Nair (20:03):
Okay.
Andres (20:06):
It's very good for thirsting.
It's very, very good.
Okay, it hydrates very well andand it also helps with your
stomach with blood pressure veryhealthy oh, I love that.
Karen Mac Nair (20:16):
I'm gonna have to go try that.
Yeah, okay, what do we havenext?
Andres (20:19):
this is a.
This is also something that mywife made up.
This is a, a churro cheesecake,so that shows her history
coming to the US, because it hasthe Spanish-Mexican inspiration
of the churro, but also a baseof a cheesecake, so it's not a
(20:42):
long churro like you would think.
Karen Mac Nair (20:43):
Just help describe it it is a square like
a cake but it looks like theconsistency is like a churro on
the inside.
Andres (20:53):
The consistency it has cinnamon, of course.
Karen Mac Nair (20:56):
Oh, cinnamon on the top sprinkled.
Andres (20:59):
This is also very popular and you eat it cold.
Oh, you eat it cold.
Yeah, we have it in the ref atthe store and that's a pastry
that you eat it cold.
Oh, you're cold.
Yeah, we have it in the ref atthe store and that's a pastry
that you eat cold.
It's like a cream in the middle.
Yeah, wow, so good.
Karen Mac Nair (21:16):
I do love the cinnamon.
I'm a big cinnamon fan.
Andres (21:19):
All right, so in the same family, the last two.
Karen Mac Nair (21:22):
It's a good thing, the same family.
Andres (21:23):
This is a tarta de queso cheese tart.
Karen Mac Nair (21:26):
Okay.
Andres (21:27):
So imagine that this is a Spanish-style from San
Sebastian.
Karen Mac Nair (21:33):
Okay.
Andres (21:34):
And imagine that this is also gluten-free options.
We have gluten-free and veganoptions at the store.
Karen Mac Nair (21:40):
Oh, vegan too.
So gluten-free and vegan.
This is a gluten-free option.
Andres (21:44):
Yeah, vegan too.
So gluten-free and vegan.
This is a gluten-free option,yeah, and then it's like it's
very similar to a cheesecake,but without the crust?
Karen Mac Nair (21:51):
oh no, crust, it's circular yeah, it's also
creamy.
Andres (21:55):
It's a good dessert as well I'm trying, sometimes we
put the red fruits on the topand it also makes it very
delicious.
Karen Mac Nair (22:04):
You can strawberries, blackberry, all
the berries this is a greatsummertime with your dinners
delicious.
It really is creamy.
Your wife does have a talentboy, thank you okay, and then
the last one this for thesurprise, for this season and
this is a cuatro leches, nottres leches, oh so there's four.
Andres (22:28):
She added an extra leche extra milk.
Karen Mac Nair (22:31):
I'm smiling for all the people to see.
Andres (22:34):
And I love the pecs because it's a cow, you see, oh
it is.
Karen Mac Nair (22:37):
I love that.
So there's the casing it is in.
It looks like a small bowl, butit has the white with the black
spots like a cow andstrawberries sprinkled on top
with whipped cream.
Is that whipped?
Andres (22:51):
cream in there.
That's cream, yes.
Karen Mac Nair (22:53):
Okay With the cake.
Andres (22:58):
And cuatro leches, no tres leches.
Karen Mac Nair (23:01):
Mmm, you can hear me chewing.
That is delicious.
The strawberries on top, thatis a nice little tart kick.
Andres (23:11):
A little bit of balance with the acidity and the
sweetness of the cake.
Karen Mac Nair (23:16):
So smart.
I forget that, becausesometimes if it's too sweet,
this is a nice balance.
Andres (23:22):
And also something that we try to do is not abuse of the
sugar, even that we sell sugar.
Karen Mac Nair (23:29):
Yes.
Andres (23:30):
She tries to keep more accent on the different
ingredients that compose thepastry.
Karen Mac Nair (23:39):
I so love that because I feel like then you
genuinely get to enjoy the wholedessert.
Sometimes, if it is too muchsugar, too sweet, it gets cut
off too soon, although I'm sureall of you chocolate and sugar
lovers out there just think I'mnuts for even saying that more
and more and more, but it is agood balance.
It really is.
Well, thank you so much forbeing here.
(24:01):
We just want to encourageeveryone that's listening visit
Goki Cafe, Try some of thesewonderful desserts, some of the
teas, some of the coffees, andthen let's go to Taste of
Arcadia.
Andres (24:14):
Yay.
Karen Mac Nair (24:15):
September 13th, let's buy our tickets for Taste
of Arcadia.
You go to tasteofarcadiacom.
I also want to encourage you.
August 3rd is the last day forthe early bird special for
tickets.
On August 4th it goes up to $79.
So it's only $69.
So get your tickets today.
(24:35):
Continue listening to ourTasting Arcadia podcast on your
favorite podcast channel.
We'll be on YouTube, spotify,apple Podcasts, iheartradio Just
a great way to continue to seewho else will be at Taste of
Arcadia.
My mouth is watering.
This is so hard to do a tastingshow.
(24:56):
I don't know how they do it ontelevision.
I'm trying to make it work, soI apologize, but it's just so
delicious.
So thank you everyone forlistening.
Stay tuned for our new podcastepisode coming soon.
And thank you so much.
We will see you soon.
Bye-bye.
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.