Hosts Danielle Balocca and Chelli Keshavan spoke with restaurateur Alvaro Sandoval, his son Mateo, and America's Test Kitchen deputy food editor Bryan Roof about the Sandoval family's Medford restaurants. The conversation covered the history and culinary philosophy of Tenoch, El Tacuba, and Localito, as well as plans for their upcoming Spanish Mediterranean restaurant, Ultramarinos Tardeo.
[Danielle Balocca]: Hey listeners, this is Danielle.And Shelley.Shelley is a radical Dravidian and racial equity activist.
[Chelli Keshavan]: And Danielle is a community mobilizer and changemaker.And this is the Medford Bites podcast.Every two weeks, we chew on the issues facing Medford and deliver bites of information about the city by lifting the expertise of our guests.
[Danielle Balocca]: Join us in discussion about what you hope for the future of Medford.And as always, tell us where you like to eat.Hey, Medford Bites listeners, we have a really special episode for you today, one that I've been really excited about for a long time, where we'll talk to folks from El Tacuba and America's Test Kitchen.So after they introduce themselves, we'll jump right into our conversation.Hope you enjoy.
[SPEAKER_03]: I'm Brian Roof, deputy food editor at America's Test Kitchen and host of On the Road on Netflix.
[SPEAKER_04]: I'm Mateo.I'm one of the owner's sons.I'm a student, and I run the social media.
[Alvaro Sandoval]: And I'm Alvaro.I'm one of the owners of Tenoche in Tacuba, localito, and the soon-to-be-open Ultramarinos Tardeo.
[Danielle Balocca]: So before you... Okay, so you just told us a few minutes ago that you realize that Tenoche has been open for 15 years.Is that this one in Medford, or all the Tenoches?No, just Tenoche, Medford.OK.And so can you tell us a little bit about what you were doing before that?How did you decide to come to this area?How did you decide to do that type of restaurant?In Medford?Just in general, what were you doing before?
[Alvaro Sandoval]: Well, we also work in construction.That's how we build our places.We don't touch electric and plumbing.Once we were having like a lunch break, we were like, you know, I wish I had this.It's like we all do.You know, as a Mexican, it's like a good torta, for instance.You know, especially if you are like working all day, you need some.meal to fill you up.And then we are kind of, you know, we should do a place.And that's just like a vague conversation.And then my brother, he's pretty good eater, Andres.And, you know, working at home, it's like kind of like doing things and it's like, oh, we should do this.But it's not the same doing for, you know, in the house.now doing for people.It's completely different.
restaurant.It's a whole different, you may think you have what it is, but at the same time, may not.And then you have to be able to adapt into to make now and then volume wise.Right.And that's how we kind of saw the place.We saw an opportunity.We saw Medford Square and then, you know.Yeah.
[SPEAKER_03]: How do you adjust your menu?How do you adjust your cooking to feed people versus feeding yourself and your family?
[Alvaro Sandoval]: Well, what I mean in that, or in a way, is we do the food the way we normally eat.We do not adjust into someone's palate.We do what we want in terms of eating or spitting the way we like it.Now, whether people like it or not, there's nothing we can do about it.We hope people really like it.That's all we can wish for, because we don't want to change.We want really people to eat through and see how we normally eat at home.That's what the question was.
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah.Yeah.I always feel like the places that succeed and have the strongest followings and last the longest are the spots thatreally stick to their guns and believe that we are going to represent our cuisine, our culture, our family, our recipes in the way that we serve them to our family.And we present that to the world.I feel like most peoplereally latch on to that.The Applebee's menu mentality of a little something for everybody.You have pizza, you have tacos, you have spaghetti.I don't think it works as well.I think when you take a stance and you present your food and your cuisine with a lot of enthusiasm and passion, it tends to succeed.
[Alvaro Sandoval]: Yeah, and then we always try to kind of give you what we think is best that we can actually use for it.We know a long time ago, we actually changed the tortillas into nachos.Some people maybe didn't like it, but we couldn't find something like that.That's the best, period.What did you change about it?It's just the corn, the flavor, and it's a corn.If you see what we had before, and then because that's how we opened, it wasn't back then.We couldn't find it.We used it.Once we found it, it's like, we have to.That's a big change.And that's a risk.Because if you have someone who already just used to,How do you, you know, and I'm, we think we give you a better quality.We're improving a hundred percent better product, but there's still maybe some people who don't, who don't think that way.Right.It happens, but for sure, as a Mexican and as any other Mexican, that will give you right on point.And if you have been in Mexico, Mexico, like to eat.That's the best.Flavor profile, and then it's just pure.The tortillas are the best.And now, it's a kind of like, we always wish people eat right at the spot, because tacos doesn't travel that well, because it can suck the liquid, and it can just break, you know, fall apart.So if you're eating right at the spot, you can have a very nice meal.
[Danielle Balocca]: And so Tenoche is kind of more like a casual,kind of like, not fast food, but it's like less of a sit down place than here.You hope that people eat it there, but it's less, that's kind of like the food that you were thinking about when you were hungry after a day of working, something you could, you know, fill yourself with.How would you describe the food here at Alta Cuba?Like what's the hope for people to like take away from this cuisine here?
[Alvaro Sandoval]: Well, here we also, I think, express ourselves in a more, we also, we call more of a freedom, right?As we go back to how you adapt things, we don't.We have my mom involved.And this is hard, and Brian can probably agree on this.If I ask my mom, right, we have a chef.Can you do this, Abish?And then she comes, and then make the dish.But the recipe, it's like, oh, just put a pinch of salt.You can do that.And then say, never mind.If you do one thing, the next person, it will be a completely different flavor.She's like, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.But if she does that, it will be the same.
[Unidentified]: Every single time.
[Alvaro Sandoval]: Every single time.So that's a challenge, especially on this, right?Because each dish is like individual.And, you know, we want to create an atmosphere, the vibe, more of a sit down.You can come in and have a longer time and enjoy also differentEven in flavor.So we got my mom involved.My sister-in-law, she's also a great cook.And then we have her mom.Also, when she comes, she says, hey, Doña Paz.that my son goes down and eat.They're like, hey, we have these.And then you go down and eat.Oh, my gosh, can we do this?What can we get out of this flavor and then do it in the place?OK, you cannot do all of it.And it doesn't mean because we really like that, and then it's just going to go, you know, everybody.
[Danielle Balocca]: I'm curious what your favorite foods are here, like what it feels like for you to eat here, having had some of this food in your family for a long time.
[SPEAKER_04]: I mean, when I first started coming here, I really liked the estofado, which is a beef stew with like potatoes underneath.And I would ask for some tortillas on the side and some chipotle mayo and make my own tacos with it.I also really like the taco de la casa, which is like cheese, meat, bacon.It's like, you know, everything that I can ask for in a taco.Like, I feel like one thing that I really like from here is that, you know, if I go to eat with my grandma, if I go to eat with my my aunt, they both cook extremely well.I can still get those flavors here.And it still feels like homey because like my dad, he's from Veracruz, from Mexico.
And a lot of those dishes are incorporated into this menu, like the pescado a la Veracruzana, the jarocha, the tostada jarocha, that's a way you call a person from Veracruz.And I feel like a lot of those flavors that I get from home, I can find here.So really, anything on the menu is appealing to me at any point.
[SPEAKER_03]: Are any of those dishes ones that could translate to a menu like this?
[SPEAKER_04]: I'm not sure.
[SPEAKER_03]: Is there anything that you ever saw that was like, ah, it just won't work here?
[SPEAKER_04]: I mean, they're really, I feel like all over Mexico, there are really unique dishes.Like there's one fungus on a corn.With la coche.With la coche that, you know, I feel like things like that wouldn't really be appealing to people here.Like, you know that you're eating, you know, a fungus.But it does appeal.Yeah.I think Brian's trying to get an invite to your show.Family dinner.We will.Down the street.There's another like traditional Veracruz dish called Tapiste, which is like it's a very distinct flavor.I got to go last February with my dad.He took us to Mexico City and for the first time to his home in Veracruz.And we got to
[Alvaro Sandoval]: enjoy um like the tapiste and it's like such a distinct flavor that you can't find anywhere here it's like so bold and like people it's um you know also and now that Mateo brought it up um that's one of the we have done it right but just for us how people gonna really see that that will be like unless you go thereI don't think you're going to find it anywhere else around here.So that's something that because the hoja santa, which is.
[SPEAKER_04]: How would you say that in English?It's a leaf that you wrap.
[Alvaro Sandoval]: And we make like sort of, in the dish that we make, it has a flavor to that strong to say that I was in a very good place in Mexico City, in Mexico.And then when I tried it in a tortilla, when I had a bite, after a long time, it set me back to my town and my youth.And it's like, this is it.We have to.Now we are from that region that we have it everywhere.And that's the beauty of also in Mexico, that you go in just one single state, you go north, south, and you change.So you have so much to offer.
[Danielle Balocca]: It's really cool to watch you two talk about this and to hear you talk about how your son is taking in all of these traditional meals that you've had in your home city.And I wonder how you hope that to translate to your customers here and the city of Medford, because now you guys haveTenoche, Altacuba, Locolito, and then you're opening a new place, which hopefully we can talk about.But what do you hope that we as Medford residents and surrounding residents, Arlington, what do you hope we experience from all of the things that you're bringing to us?
[SPEAKER_04]: You want to answer that or you want to answer that?I mean, really, we hope for a welcoming, enjoyable experience.
[Alvaro Sandoval]: And we want them to really have to understand how we also do things, and the way we eat, and the way they can experience it.Some people haven't had a chance to really go there and try something truly flavored.We can offer that.I don't know.It's it's it's so many ways that we that we see it.
[SPEAKER_04]: So, yeah, I think specifically here, like Tenoch is, as you said, like more of like a fast casual place, like a lot of Mexican restaurants, you know, I want to say all over the US.they'll serve tacos or burritos, tortas, things like that.But here, it's more dishes so that you can really get to know the culture a little bit better.It's out of that realm of comfort that you see in most
[SPEAKER_03]: tacos or burritos.Well I feel like that's one thing you guys do really well is you have some things that I as you say would probably be more comfortable to you know a Caucasian audience for the most part but you also bring the menu into into Veracruz and you introduce dishes to people that they might not otherwise know and they get to experience and I thinkThat is always something unique that I find really enjoyable on your menu, is that I come in, and today I'm going to try this, and today I'm going to try this.I'm going to get the melted cheese I always like to get, because I like to eat it.I'm going to try this.I'm going to get the spin rice.It's a really well-balanced menu.
[Danielle Balocca]: Anna, I feel like when you guys opened, there weren't that many places you could go to have like a really good cocktail, like in this area, and like a really nice meal, and I don't have to bring my kids with me.You know, it's like, I feel like that you were one of the first places in this square that like felt really good, and I think that'slike changing kind of the landscape of Medford Square a little bit to, you know, bring like, you know, we have deep cuts and like a couple of other places around that.And this is Murphy's, but like the I feel like you guys were the first, like, this is the nice place to go in Medford.And like you were saying, it was like, I think if you describe, oh, there's a new Mexican place in Medford, people would have an idea of what that is and which is like nothing like what this actually is.It's a really nice, comforting place.have a really nice meal and feel like nice.And your staff is always really happy.
[SPEAKER_04]: Thank you.That's one of like that's my dad was saying this where you sell the experience.It's not just the food, like how the hospitality affects your meal is crazy.Like if if the server like I'm a food runner, I always try and be on my best and talk to people like I try and read to see if they want to have a conversation or not.But I feel likeWhen we go out to eat, having good hospitality always just makes the meal taste a little better.
[Alvaro Sandoval]: Absolutely.It's the key.In our opinion, in my opinion, that's how we see things.An example is Isabel.She's the hostess, like a lot of people know her.When she started here, she helped us running, busing the tables.But the way she was so gracious and she was so nice, it's like,she has to help us in the front.Because that's when you open the door and the first thing that you have is someone who's like genuinely, she's nice.And, you know, it's in having the help and people who is like, you know, have the personality, you change, you change everything.So I know it's a big piece.All right.
[Danielle Balocca]: So the question that I'm most excited about right now is to hear about the restaurant that you're opening soon or that you're working on opening.Do you want to share a little bit about anything about that, like what we can expect from that restaurant, what the progress looks like?
[Alvaro Sandoval]: Much respect.
[Danielle Balocca]: Well, well, well.
[Alvaro Sandoval]: You got that?Yes.It will be, in terms of the food, it's Spanish, Mediterranean, with global influences.So what we mean in that is we're going to take the Spanish food in our own interpretation.So we want to have the freedom to do anything in a way that we can incorporate some other, like, touches in order to create a dish.So if we do a carrillada, that is typical in, so we're going to try to do it on our own, also way they use one thing, you know, and we won't most likely do paella, but we'll do arroz meloso.So, and also we want to, we want to, we want to try to do something also unique more thanthe way things are to be different than any other place that they are just focused on Spanish food.We want to be different.And what I mean by Mediterranean is we have a big area to cover.And then adding, we're going to have, instead of ceviche, we will have another type of seafood that we can add it.We have ceviches here we can do.
something else there that we can, you know, we can utilize.Yeah, it's a way of creating some dishes that we can share with people and the experience that we have had.We go to Spain often, as Mateo can tell you where we go.
[SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, we actually have Spanish roots from, like, my dad, his grandfather is from Spain.We've traveled all over.We still have family there.We've been to Asturias in the north, Madrid, to Barcelona.But specifically, my sister, she did an abroad program in Sevilla, in Andalusia in the south.And the Mediterranean area that that's on, it's such a laid back culture.The food is really, really, really good.But it reminded my dad of home.I hadn't been there, so I can't really vouch for that.You just went there.I mean, I went there and like it's so laid back.The people are very open and it just kind of like it felt like right.I don't know.It's it is.It's a very nice place.
[Alvaro Sandoval]: It's the way the way the people are.The first the first time that I went there, I would feel like this is just like the way I grew up.You know, people are very open, like he says, friendly.That kind of like made me feel home.And then we've been back a few times.And the fruit is like.And we've been able to taste.And then sometimes, if you're passing by, you hit a spot, and then how can you, I don't mean like replicate, but how can you get that part of the flavor and then integrate that in something that you can make?That's basically what we want to do.Because you can't do one thing exactly how those guys do.In any place, you can't.But we can do what we think, or we can interpret that.you know, some dishes, and it's just so many.When we were in Barcelona, we went someplace and it's like, can we pick, you know, maybe one from this?And then that flavor, how can we actually add it into this, you know, or that?
[Danielle Balocca]: It's fun research.
[Alvaro Sandoval]: Yeah.Well, I was just in Madrid, like, you know, I brought my daughter, and now she's at school there.
[SPEAKER_04]: Oh, I might be going to visit for Thanksgiving.I'll do my own research there.
[Alvaro Sandoval]: So there you go.Yeah.He is going to.I said, this is, you know, some of the places.But I went to a few places that I am like, you know, this can go or we can do something like.flavor.And that's actually, it's kind of some places that they do and they do fantastic job, you know, down there.So how can we do our own interpretation?Why not?And we don't want to be married to one single thing.It's like, you have to do this.And no matter what, we don't actually have some friends.They're from Spain.And we had, hey, this is what we have.I have several friends from Spain.And then this is what we want to do.And explain exactly, right?And it's like, they were so excited about it.It's like, no way.So now you're going into this.So also the type of cuisine.We want to have a restaurant that doesn't affect this one.And instead of, we create these, when we talk about critical mass, it can help both.
[Unidentified]: Yeah.
[Alvaro Sandoval]: Right.So we can add another piece.We always said a puzzle.
[Unidentified]: Yeah.
[Alvaro Sandoval]: Right.So we have Metford Square as a puzzle.So we add Localito as a coffee because we thought that's something that Metro needed or it was a room for that.We have El Tacuba.So being in Metford for 14 years, almost 15 years next year.So we always ask people, you know, where are you coming from?X, Y. And then we start like,You kind of know what your clientele is and how Metfor has changed.It has changed now.And we thought adding another place, like the vibe of El Tacuba.
It will do well and it is right now for the way Metfor is now.So do you have to go to the city?Why?You have it here.So for us, as a, I mean, it sounds biased, but as an owner of this place, we think in our mind, we have the best Mexican sit down in Boston.That's how we think.That's why we opened the place, right?So we, we think we have it.And then we add the right combination.We, we have this place and now we can have another place that is also unique.So in order to compete,I don't think that that's the right word to compete.But in order to attract people from out of town, not just the locals, which we are beyond grateful how the community has support each of our places.We can't thank enough.And now adding that piece, it will be another restaurant.It will kind of make Medford Square more like a destination.And that destination is the way we see Medford Square that I think and we think.Maybe people have other opinions.We think we can have that.And we can make the place to, and instead of like, when you're deciding where you're gonna go, you have plenty of places in Somerville, Cambridge, Boston.
Why?You can just, you can actually bring friends and then enjoy a night out in Medford Square.So that's how we see Medford and again,We are very grateful for the community.
[Danielle Balocca]: And I've heard when there's a show at the Chevalier, you can't get a seat.
[SPEAKER_04]: I was going to say that.I was like, the Chevalier is also a huge help, especially here.When I work on the weekends, you can really see if there's a show.It fills up.And having another place right there will just help more, I feel.
[SPEAKER_03]: Did you think about that when you opened the place?Did you say the Chevalier is going to bring business in?
[Alvaro Sandoval]: We don't.Because we don't believe, if we open a place just based on the theory, we think it won't work.Because you cannot rely on just shows.Financially, I think it may not be enough.So you need first focus on having a good product and a good place where you need people from outside.Every day you need new people, new people, new customers, right?Because if you have just,the same, you can probably give a break, or you can constantly do other things to keep the place fresh.But having said that, obviously the theater, now that I thinkWho is Andrew?He's the one who wrote.
[Danielle Balocca]: He's awesome.
[Alvaro Sandoval]: And when he took over the theater, you can't deny the impact.It's obvious.So when you have that concentration of people, there's a demand.So now we supply the product.And that's what we're thinking about the place.
[SPEAKER_03]: That's very exciting.Do you have any other questions?I do love that you guys are so focused on Spain.You know, I haven't just come back there.I also really enjoy Spain.And I feel like it's one of the things, aside from how just amazing the food is there, it's the vibe, you know, just casualness.You know, there's a dedication to the products and the food and the cooking that is hard to find in a lot of places stateside.So I feel like the combination of already the customer service you bring to the Cuba, coupled with that food and that attitude, will be a really interesting winning combination.
[Alvaro Sandoval]: Hopefully we can deliver.We always say that.One thing for sure is we're going to doThe best we can.We would try to put a product that it can add value also to the square and then to the community.
[SPEAKER_03]: As far as, can we talk about the design of Tacuba and I'm sure the design over there.I just came from Localito.Who's designing all these places?
[Alvaro Sandoval]: We design the places.
[SPEAKER_03]: That's pretty amazing.
[Alvaro Sandoval]: Thank you.We do.My brother, Andres, we both co-own the place.He's a graphic designer.
[Danielle Balocca]: And a DJ personality.
[Alvaro Sandoval]: He is.He was a DJ, so unfortunately he couldn't make it, but he's pretty comfortable talking.He can talk for a while.So he has also a good eye because taking a place, just rooms, and be able, which we think is hard for us, to visualize up and running,It's like, it takes time.And sometimes as being as or on like designers and do the work, because we do the work, it's a great satisfaction to see like we change things.We completely, like Mateo said in one of his, we have the freedom to decide which line or what we want to add to create in everything.Because, you know, you've got a picture of the place with people.eating, socializing.Now that place, in terms of socializing, as you know, right, and how the Spanish people, it's like, they really socialize.So how, and that also, the socializing part, it's translating to the name that we're picking.We narrow the name into two names that Mateo probably cancan say what we have.
[SPEAKER_04]: the name Ultramarinos Tardeo.So it's two words.Ultramarinos means in Spain, they use it as, you know, an adjacent word for grocery store, things like that, like grocery shop.But Ultramar means beyond the sea, like from beyond the sea.So the colonies inin Europe, or sorry, the colonizers in Europe, they would bring in imports from all over their colonies throughout the world.And that's basically what we're doing.Like we have the central cuisine that will be, you know, Spanish Mediterranean, but by having global influences, we'll be bringing inyou know, any flavors we want from all around the world if we choose.And then the second part, tardeo, it comes from the word, it's like a slang word almost in Spain that they use.Tarde means afternoon in Spanish.And then tardeo is like that time of day when you get off work and then you go out with some friends in the afternoon to have a drink, to have, you know, something to eat.It's my favorite time of day.
[Alvaro Sandoval]: After, yeah.So you go and socialize and how can weput it together.So, and then back to the first name, like Ultramarinos, as he says, we still have, because it's a small place, we want to have one section small that we can have also some stuff that you can also purchase if you can, right?It won't be a shop, but it can act as, so as a name, so you can have maybe olive oil, you can have some, sorry?
So that's a kind of, so the name will hit right on.So if you walk in, maybe you may even see it right on the host, a nice wall looking into whatalso gives you the impression of what it could be, obviously in a different setup.But that will be also opening a line to some other things that we can do.So having said that, it's like where we will place in that.So if you come, we'll have to be a very good product, obviously.And that's something that I talk to the friends that I have.You know, it's like, this is exactly what we want to do, but also we want to incorporate this.And then he was, he's a good friend of mine.It's like, oh my gosh, you know, I, this is in Medford.And he's like, I go to these ultramarinos for my whole life in Almeria.And then in Spain.And then I buy this.And every time I walk in, I buy this and then also have my piece of meal.
[Unidentified]: But that's what they have.
[Alvaro Sandoval]: And how can we do that?Some, some places, some of those places, even the name start like,going away by the new way of source.So now it's also a way to bring back part of that nostalgic for them there.So now that's more of a deep, right, on the name that we were like thinking through everything that it can be connected, right, into the name.And that's the idea.Hopefully we can make it a reality.
And then we can see the place already with those things adding on.And that can add a very nice touch, something that we don't have.It will be a restaurant with something like close to shop, but we don't have the space.So we can adapt to the space, and it will be a nice touch.
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, I just was at a place, La Ruta in Barcelona.
[Alvaro Sandoval]: OK.
[SPEAKER_03]: You have to go next time you go.But yeah, after the meal, they have tin fish, like you were saying, and I'd buy their brand of tin fish.So I think there is an appeal for that as well.It's not like a whole bunch of tchotchke or a whole bunch of small items.But it's just like, yes, I just had an amazing meal, and I want to get something to remember it later on when I eat.That's exactly what it is.Yeah.I feel like you guys need to branch out and have your own olive oil.I'm still here on olive oil.
[Alvaro Sandoval]: Well, we had one thing right at the beginning.And then, as you and Matthew in one of his videos, he's talking about how the design, it was going to be like a brutal design, more like concrete on the modern side.And then we poke a hole, and then we founda whole different, you know, look on the wall.So we popped the other hole and it's like, hold on.So now we can do this with this.And then we're recreating, we're recreating a theme that we hope we can.
[SPEAKER_04]: He's going to bring up a picture.Maybe.Yeah, like my uncle being a graphic designer, his eyes are completely lit up when we saw the wall.Is it brick like this?It's like original brick.It's original wall.And there are like steel columns.It doesn't mean... Oh, yeah.No, no, no.
[Alvaro Sandoval]: This is just how we create the image and then how we're going to see if we can make it.
[SPEAKER_03]: Oh, wow.Yeah.
[SPEAKER_04]: So we, yeah, we, we have to admit, I'm guilty, but AI is a huge tool.This way we can like, we can submit our own ideas.Like I was talking about, we, my dad and I were talking to Brian about like the whole, like hiring an architect, blah, blah, blah.By doing it on your own, you know,This AI is acting as our architect.We can submit at any point, any changes, specifically what we want to see and it can build anything for us.And if we don't like it, we change it.But we don't have to really consult with anyone.We have our own plans and then we see something like this and it's... Because it's like, how can we emulate?
[Alvaro Sandoval]: How can weat this touch now that we have this.And right away, I mean, I was chosen.And as we go through towns, right, in Spain, it's like, wait a minute.We were in this place, like when I had the kids in a place in Sevilla, Rinconcillo.That's the oldest tavern in Spain.in Andalusia, I believe.
[SPEAKER_04]: In the 1500s it was created.
[Alvaro Sandoval]: It's like 350 years, like it's crazy.And then we sit at the bar, I have with the kids, andThat's like, hold on.I go back to what I was saying on the food.How can we pinch?Sometimes you only see one section, one corner.How can we start off from this little section and then create this?Because all it takes is like, if you're drinking a coffee or you're having a meal and then you turn around and you see something, a catch, and it's like, hold on, can wemake this bigger, can we do this this way?That's exactly how we want to recreate.So when we have this, like hold on, it has a drop ceiling.No, we go high.So now we create this cubic.
As you're walking in, and we can maximize the space in terms of all the size, it's perfect.Because it will be like 65 people, 70.It's not that big, but it will be make it.Make it and also in the back, because the way it's shaped,and the picture that you saw that nobody has seen, right?In that picture, the way we see, it's like, how can we create?Is it a communal table?Maybe it's a bar.And then we can also have like a shop.So we will have all these products that we can also sell.So if you get in there,We might have even a menu that says Ultramarinos, and you can buy those things.
[Danielle Balocca]: I mean, so we had been to the coffee shop that was there before Localito.It was also a coffee shop, but nothing like that.But the design work that you guys do is incredible.I think that you're combining all these really impressive skills to make these beautiful spaces.And we also used to go to Zamzam.My oldest son loved their samosas.But the space is not like they didn't, it's just very basic in there.So I'm really excited to see what you guys do to that space.I'm sure it'll turn into something really beautiful.
[Alvaro Sandoval]: I know Mohamed.He was the owner.They closed.That's unfortunate.And the landlord is the same landlord.So when he talked to us or he talked to me, he's like, you know, there's this space.And we have two concepts that we think it can work.That's one of them.That we think when the time comes that he knows we can branch out to what we think it willIf that will kick, the other one will be cement, I think, on what we think we can create this place to really drive and go and spend the time in Medford.And the rest will be just completely, I'm not an urban person, but that will be someone that's looking into what needs to be added around to create this energy place in Medford.And yeah, I saw the place.We walked through.my brother and I and say, what do we need that we can minimize financially?Because otherwise we won't be even doing it.Right now, no.So we saw that he has a kitchen, he has a tuba, he's already handicapped, and he has a kitchen set up.So we stripped everything and re-tied the kitchen to make itthe way we want to see it.So we keep all, it's already hooked, gas, everything is in place.That was it.If you run your own ideas and then run through even an AI now, and then visualize, because you got to put obviously, how do you want it?And then.
[SPEAKER_04]: And we've seen your trips to Home Depot.I feel like this whole journey has helped me a lot because, you know, now I realize that visualizing is a hard thing.It's harder than you might imagine.when I was little, when they were creating El Takuba, this place was completely empty.And it was just like, you know, it was dusty.There was like tape on the walls and everything.I would come in with my cousin, my sister, and we would like dust chairs for like a little bit and get bored.But I would have never expected that it would turn into something like, honestly, as beautiful as this, because like the vision that you have to have islike pretty insane.And that's why I started like the whole document thing.I asked my dad, like, I'm realizing if we could have had this whole process of building it, that would be so cool.So like, you know, the best time to plant a tree was, you know, 20 years ago, but the second best time is now.SoI asked him, why not now so that we can have this, so that people can see what it's like to create this.And also just for us to have.Have you developed a new appreciation for what your dad does?100%.Knowing the sacrifices that both of my parents have had to make, it makes me feel more grateful.When I went to his hometown, living in Arlington is like,the other side, you know, like you put the new Arlington High School, which is like immense.It's like a college, you know, like, and I feel like it makes me appreciate these things a lot more instead of taking them for granted, because we have everything we need here.And like with these restaurants, we can have, you know, like a comfortable life, you know, doing things that you love.And we do things that we love with people we love in the right.
[Alvaro Sandoval]: I think right now my other brother is also helping us.Alejandro is the host also here.But with my brothers, we actually are together working.We do this together, like my brother Andres.We live in a two-family house, so we see each other every day.
[Unidentified]: And you're still friends.
[Alvaro Sandoval]: No, it is.It's like any other family.You may have disagreements.That's just the way life is.But we all live here.And when we were in this place, we were like, it's the same.The way that place is, different because the new place has a kitchen and this place has nothing.It was just office.It was a carpenter's labor union in El Tacuba.So we have to completely, it was eight-foot drop ceiling and then I think it was horse-blasted on top, 10, and then we popped the hole and we saw the sky that's buried with plywood.It's like, hold on, we gotta demo the whole thing.We reused part of the,metal starts in order to redo like the bar, the kitchen wall.So, and working together with him that, you know, how we can use also like as a family the best out of someone, right?Like he's really good on hisYou know, seeing through his eyes.Right now, Mateo can talk.So how we can, you know, then when we were working on the menu, you know, we were eating at home.It's like my sister-in-law was cooking and then we eating through like through the time.And the process is what it makes also this place special for us.And then if you walk and pop yourself, you will see us right there on the counter that day.I don't forget.I was, we pour the concrete, we do it ourselves.So we have to mix it and then.So if you walk in, you may think we're doing the job for other people.That's the point.And that's how it's been since we opened the notch, which you see us behind the counter.And people don't see who actually owns the place.And we want that because we all,you know, we treat everybody like with respect, but we all like a family, you know what I'm saying?
[SPEAKER_04]: And I feel like going back to the whole like two family house, my cousins live downstairs.My sister and I, we grew up and we're basically siblings with them now.And it's like that bond that we have, like, especially people, it might seem difficult for a lot of people to work, you know, in a business with a sibling.Right.But on the other side,Like my dad and my uncle, they can argue all they want about anything.They're still brothers and like, you know.
[Alvaro Sandoval]: Well, the family, my niece, Paulina, she's a waiter here.She works on the weekends, like Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
[SPEAKER_04]: And I would run food with my other cousin, her brother Andres.He's at college now, but.
[Alvaro Sandoval]: Yeah, so he can.But they run food on the weekend.Paulina is here like often.She's great.She has what you want for customer service.spot on.No, because she's my niece, but I think she has a tremendous personality on that part, which is, it's gold in this industry.It's like just gold.And then everyone else, you know, we have everyone working here that I think it's, you know, add the value to the place because it's, you know, we build the place, we have the place, but we need everybody, right?This is, this is like,you know, that everybody has the credit with the place, because you need that.You can't do it alone.If anybody thinks you can do it all alone, no matter what you do, in any kind of business, no.It's like everybody, you know?So we're very thankful for the people who's helping us.Without them, I don't think it's possible.It's not possible to grow, you know?
[SPEAKER_03]: Very humble.So I've obviously I've talked to a lot of restaurateurs, a lot of chefs in my day.And one thing I'm noticing in the conversation that you keep on having is that you always circle back to customer service first.And, you know, most people will say, oh, the menu is going to be this, the menu is going to be this.But tell me, you know, a relatively new restaurateur, 15 years.Why has customer service been the, I know why it's important, but tell me what drew to your attention as the leading factor of a successful restaurant?
[Alvaro Sandoval]: Well, I see it as an order and as a guest.I always tell them, treat the customer the way you want to treat them.And I think the value that it gives you is, like Matteo was saying, that you go out, you eat, and then just the way that feeling of,And then the way they can, you know, when they're helping you, it gives, in our opinion, it's as important as the food.Because you have to, we think we have to create a space, not just four walls, and like you said, a menu, a dish, and that's it.It doesn't work.We think that way.It doesn't mean we are correct.But that's the way it's in our minds.And then if we are able to create a great atmosphere,Everything surrounding will be better.Everything, no matter how you see it.Everything.You may have a bad day, and you walk right in, and the person helping you, you have five words change, and then it's like, oh my gosh, this is so great.You go to the bar, and you have like, hey, how you doing?You have a bad day.You talk, and then he's gone.After that, he's there forever, because you feel comfortable.You like to, you know, you like that feeling.So as being said,we think is the hardest thing when you're hiding someone.
Very difficult.Because the way we look for someone when we're hiding, it's impersonality.It's not about experience.If you come from an experience because you work in these places,we don't want that.Anybody can be trained to do some things, but nobody can change the way they are, because that's how we are.Let's be honest.And then if you said, oh, it's going to, you know, after this week, it's not going to happen.The way you are, that's the way you are.And now,it's fine.But maybe it's not what you want because, you know, everyone has to be on the same page or it creates a big, you know, so that's how.And then the customer service, we think it's, you know, we definitely focus.It's not always perfect, but, you know, again, we're very thankful we have.
[SPEAKER_03]: I always say I will return to a place based on customer service more so than I will return based on food.
[Alvaro Sandoval]: And he really likes food.There you go.I know that.Brian, I know.I know that.We have one guy who's been, since we opened, Rigo.And he opened Tenoch.He's the back cook with half a size conventional.That's how we started off.People thought we were crazy.And you know why?Because we were like, yeah.No money.We open with the blessing.That's all we have.And maximize cards, everything.And he was with us since day one.And then he went in to open all, you know, more places with us.But he was the guy in the coop.And what is nice is he came in and helped us in here.He's in the back end.
And now you walk into Localito and people don't even, you don't see those faces, right?The very important faces.And then he's, you ask him for coffee and he's behind making the sandwich.He's been with us 14 years, almost 15.Started in a convection.I'm sorry?
[Danielle Balocca]: Started in a convection.
[Alvaro Sandoval]: Half a size.
[Danielle Balocca]: Wow.
[Alvaro Sandoval]: And then we went to full size and double.And that's how we use that to maximize space.And we had some, you know, asking some people about, you know, the idea with the notch.And we had no great answers for that.It's like, no, you guys are not going to make it.And then we thought we could.And thanks to the community, we were able to sustain the business and then be able to grow up to this point.And we all go back circle like your home base, because we ended starting a new concept in Metform.And then he said, we can go.We were like going to another place.And wait, hold on.This is how the community has embraced each of them.
[Danielle Balocca]: Yeah, I remember when you first opened Altapuba, it was like, you were only opening at 5 or something.And I told my wife, I said, we have to get there at 4.45 and get in line.She was like, no, no, no.And we got there at 4.45, there was already a line.And so the people were just waiting to get in.And I know it's going to be the same at the new place.
[SPEAKER_04]: My dad was talking about how they had never gone public, and that kind of created some anticipation.
[Danielle Balocca]: but this is like the other end of it like you know recording the whole thing it makes people curious like you know in the end like i want to try this you know and i like so we when i started this podcast i always ask people their favorite place to eat in medford and i interviewed somebody before elta cuba had opened i was like she was like oh we love elta cubaThere's so much anticipation and I think hearing this backstory of how much thought and care and like work you do your your own way To make this to make all this happen helps explain why I took so long to but I think there was people were so excited about it I think that another another thing like my dad's not gonna say this but the amount of work that they put into these things like they want
[SPEAKER_04]: Like since they're putting so much work into it themselves, they want to give people the best product.So that's one of the main things.
[Alvaro Sandoval]: Hiding the right people.Like right now, like how you, one of the things that we try to see is we, we try to be surrounded with the people that we think it can help us to grow.Right.Like when I met Alvaro, the chef, and then now we, you know, I fully trust him.Like if we talk about Rigo, it's like Rigo, that's the guy who cooked there.It's like,He doesn't even tell us what he's doing today.
[Unidentified]: Yeah.
[Alvaro Sandoval]: Because we don't, we don't even ask him.He's like, yeah, it's like his place.I mean, if you want to see it that way.So how can we, um, we know that he will be, if something goes wrong, we know that he did everything to make it work.And if it doesn't work, it didn't work.It's just because it's nothing you can do.Right.And we appreciate that.And now how we go around and pick,When the GM, I remember we had one GM that helped us, Joe, at the beginning to open, it was stressful.But I talked to people.And while we're leaning to him, Joe, he's great.He's a local guy that I talked to him.We met to see if he can help us to open when he comes in the park.And he was a great person.Some of the staff didn't know howHe's in the front, but we talk to him after.And the way he was caring about the staff is something that the staff maybe they never even knew, right?How he was always, you know, want to make sure they were all and everyone was okay.And that speak a lot about the person.And that's what we want.We don't want just like dictating things.He was always careful of what he was saying.You know, at least from what we had, you know, we were very thankful.with him.It was so nice.
[SPEAKER_04]: I want to reiterate that the Medford community has been so welcoming.You know, 15 years, I was two years old, right?I mean, I turned 17 in less than a week, in what, three days, butlike seeing that my dad and my uncle have been able to grow this business, it's all because of the like initial impact that Medford had on Tenoch.Like the only reason that El Tacuba is here today is because like the community was so welcoming.And, you know, that's the reason why we keep coming back, like Localito and then El Tacuba and now the new place.It's the community has made it what it is today.
[Alvaro Sandoval]: Yeah, I will always.And I will throw back into that, like Mateo is saying, thanks to that place that is on the other side, we are where we are right now.There's no other way.And taking a chance when things came around and we grew in a way.And now we are putting a footprint in Medford and hopefully that, as I always say, another piece of the puzzle that we can fill it in.
[Danielle Balocca]: And I think the reverse is true too, that Medford has been very welcoming to you all, but also I think it's been a big impact on us to have you all here.It's like you said, we don't have to leave Medford to do something good and fun and have delicious food.
[Alvaro Sandoval]: That's what we want.We want to make sure that we can provide thatin Medford.I mean, you don't have to go to the city.You can have it here and then we can create something unique.You will travel.I get into the car and then we go out once a week.Now we go with my... Yeah, on my day off from soccer, we... We go places and then we have dinner and then, you know, we talk about what he's going to do.Now he's...He's going to Madrid to see my daughter, and then he can explore the city.He can explore some places.He can go have a taste.That's kind of the key.And then Ryan, he can agree with me.When you try something and then youYou even breathe through.It's like, this is it.
[SPEAKER_04]: And that's a huge thing, like having like a fresh taste in your mouth.When we were opening Localito, we were lucky enough to go on a trip to Japan where we had like the best matcha.Like, you know, it's right there.And coming back, we knew exactly what it tasted like.And that's why, like, you know, this is going to sound biased, but that's why the matcha at Locadito is so good.That's what it tastes like in Japan.
[Alvaro Sandoval]: And it's like... In Kyoto, that's the first time that I tried it.
[SPEAKER_04]: Yeah.And like, the coffee.Now, after going to his hometown, Veracruz, we found El Iquimite, which is...coffee from, what is it, Coatepec?Coatepec.Yeah, which is an area in Veracruz where they grow coffee beans.And now we're the only people in the entire U.S.to import that coffee.
[Alvaro Sandoval]: We do a collaboration.
[SPEAKER_04]: A collaboration.
[Alvaro Sandoval]: So what I did isspeaking from Mateo, so we were searching, right?We are from a coffee area.And we had those beans there.So what we do is we have a great coffee and we love brushing, that we're working with them.And then what can we do?Like, if we're talking about the restaurant, how can we bring those, the flavor profiling and do or take?Now on the coffee, I'm coming from a coffee area.Now it's different, right?The roasting is different.Totally different, but now it's different.Also, the one I was there.So I always speak highly about places there because we have a big influence of Spanish in Veracruz.That's where the first coffee place, La Parroquia, is there, and then they own by Spanish.
[SPEAKER_04]: And that's where the first, that's the first place that Spanish landed.
[Alvaro Sandoval]: That's why they give you these, the coffee, it's espresso, and then they give you with the milk, lechero, it's very popular.But then, when I was there, I tried this place, and that's Eliquimita.And it's like, how can we get them?And then, at least, small batches.So we have done the hostigre.We have done even a pink bourbon.It's very small batches.So what we want is they come roasted from them.It's not like we get a green bean.So at least you can taste what it tasted.Because that's exactly how you drink it.kill it.That one is my brother make the design of the ticket and then we give the committee.
[SPEAKER_03]: That's very cool.I love how you get so obsessive with anything that you're working on.It's like going to Spain, we're going to research the food, the coffee from Veracruz.That's great.I love that passion.
[Alvaro Sandoval]: Thank you.Thank you.Yeah, it's, you know, we
[SPEAKER_04]: everywhere we go is like an inspiration.Can we use this somehow in one of the places?As an artist.
[Alvaro Sandoval]: That has been the case since we decided to go into this route.
[SPEAKER_04]: And I think that having the chef, he's also extremely creative.And we can tell him, like, we tasted this.Do you think you could try and replicate it?And he'll do his best to.
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, tell us about the chef.
[Alvaro Sandoval]: Well, when we met, and then we also talked to some people, and then how we met Alvaro.And it's like, can you do this, working in other places?Alvaro's a chef.Yeah.And then he, how he can.how he can adapt things that we do into what we said, into this business.And then we were cooking out.It's like, we go this way.And then he understood what we were trying to do.Oh, he understood what we tried to do in terms of when my mom and I was getting back to do a pinch of this, pinch of that.we have to go through a lot in order to become, to have it all like, you know, more like in a line, but you know, more people can do it.
And then here we are three years later, and then he fits on the way we also see things.And he match, you know, that is not, he goes along with our views.Right.And then in terms of objectivity, it's like,We can do that.So he's a great person, I think more than a good friend, now that we develop a friendship.And now that we throw the other plates, it's like, you know, we need this.Can you do it?And bingo.If you come here and then have a dinner, and you try the arroz, the swordfish that we have it, in arroz meloso, that is for that place.
[SPEAKER_04]: We get the luxury of doing that.Every so often we come in and he's making something new, like a new creative dish.And me, I used to be a picky eater, but I've been expanding thanks to him.I still am not a huge seafood guy, but now I'm getting into everything.I wouldn't even touch ceviche before, but now it's like...
[SPEAKER_01]: What was I missing out on?It's just great.I'm in.
[Danielle Balocca]: Well, I know you guys are opening soon, so I don't want to keep you waiting.Thank you guys so much for doing this.This was really cool.Thank you.
[SPEAKER_03]: That was great.It was painless, right?
[Danielle Balocca]: Thanks so much for listening to today's episode.The Medford Bites podcast is produced and moderated by Danielle Balacca and Shelly Keshaman.Music is made by Hendrik Idonis.We'd love to hear what you think about the podcast.You can reach out to us by email at medfordpod at gmail.com, or you can rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts.Thanks so much for listening.Guys, what's the name of the podcast?Medford Bites.Medford Bites.Good job.