A Hole in His Heart Led to His Opening a Hole-in-the-Wall Restaurant in Saratoga

The fact that Brad Turley, an internationally trained chef and Los Altos native, is running a restaurant in a teeny, well-hidden spot just off the well-trafficked town of Saratoga is a miracle on many levels. Although he has plenty of street cred, having worked for Chef Roy Yamaguchi all over the world, he never thought he’d be plating up his flavorful dishes in an open kitchen barely large enough to turn around in.

His life, though, has taken many turns—and turnarounds. After meeting his future wife, Helen, in Shanghai, where he ran a busy hotel restaurant that catered to expats and she taught kindergarten, the couple opened a small restaurant in a strip mall in the city. They called it “GOGA,” an abbreviated nod to Golden Gate. It was wildly popular. He was in his element. And then his mother’s health called them back to California. When the pandemic ensued, they could not return to China. And then, while visiting his brother in Santa Cruz, Turley suffered a stroke, causing paralysis of his left side.

It turns out he had a Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO), basically a hole in the heart wall, a condition that’s actually common in 25% of the population. This hole allowed a clot to pass through, which went to his brain. “I am so fortunate in my recovery,” Turley says. “I thought my life was over: I could not use my left arm or leg. Then I saw someone who had a stroke lifting a plate. I thought, ‘I can do this!’”

A great deal of specialized therapy, including hand specialists and neurologists, all coordinated with the assistance of his indefatigable partner, Helen, helped restore use of his left arm. He walked with a cane for five months before his leg worked properly. But recovery was complicated by having dislocated his left shoulder in China, an injury that was never properly treated.

Turley can now lift a frying pan and carry a pot of water. He can also tie his shoes and button a shirt. He can also meld flavors that appeal to many palates, and has created quite a following for his pan-Asian cuisine that combines the freshness of California with Middle East influences.

Once, on a whim, he made me an omelet filled with stir-fried sesame noodles, scallions and Thai peppers, topping it with parmesan shavings and green onion curls. “Please put this on the menu!” I begged. He said he’d think about it.

“I love taking cues from Asian cultures—Chinese, Japanese, Thai,” says Turley. “Finding what’s on offer at farmers markets—vegetables, fish and meat—I challenge myself to do some things differently each time I develop a menu. At the same time, I play it safe, so my food will appeal to a wide array of palates.” A staple of the weekend brunch menu is tuna tataki, a recipe he developed in Shanghai.

Seasonality drives the menu, but some of the staples, like Wagyu beef and tuna, are critical. He’s currently sourcing bluefin tuna from New Zealand, as he feels it’s a superior product with a better value than yellowfin.

His bluefin tuna carpaccio features roasted peanuts and shallots, garlic, mint and dill, topped with fried garlic and Thai basil, which he sources from Saratoga resident, grape grower and gardener Paul Conrado, a big supporter of GOGA.

Conrado’s garden provides all manner of culinary support, from peaches in summer to figs in fall. “I can also do this dish with fresh farmer’s cheese,” says Turley. That idea came from a meal at Mentone in Aptos. “I get inspiration from other chefs all over the place.”

Conrado’s many varieties of peppers and herbs, like Thai basil, star in a dish of eggplant and green beans, served with a fish sauce reduced with lime juice and serrano chiles. “I prefer serranos, as they’re not as hot as jalapeños,” says Turley. “Just a kick of heat, to which I add shallots, garlic and sugar. Then garnish with Thai basil.”

Turley is used to cooking in hot weather climates, like Hawaii, Singapore and Shanghai. “No heavy meals: more salads and fish,” he explains. “For my prix fixe menus, I aim for small bites of dishes that go together.”

Among those prix fixe dishes, you might find Wagyu beef with truffle potato purée, topped with green peppercorn sauce and crisp broccolini. Pasta lovers can sometimes score his Bolognese with beef cheek and guanciale.

While he’s not a “tweezer food” chef, each dish, including the masterfully seared and seasoned scallops, the killer crab cakes Benedict and ever-popular shrimp and crab Louie salad, is finished off and plated with pride.

Even his standout burger has a special sauce. “People love our steaks and burgers,” says Turley. “The keys are the fried onions, the butter-toasted bun and two kinds of cheese, both Swiss and cheddar. Plus fresh lettuce and fresh tomatoes and our burger sauce, a classic made in-house. I over-accentuate the flavors of the relish for sweetness and creaminess. It’s also great with French fries.”

Many diners find GOGA through social media posts and don’t realize that dinner features a constantly changing prix fixe. “By the grace of god we make it through,” says Turley. “Our loyal customers understand that there is only one person cooking from scratch and it’s all fresh and made to order.”

Because GOGA has a regular clientele each week, Turley changes the menu constantly, even though it means having to teach the staff how to cut and plate and make new sauces every week.

I appreciate the customers who book in advance and take time to read the details,” says Turley. “From the four-star reviews, they think we’re fancy. But actually, we are simple, good food with Mom-and-Dad-style service.” He highly encourages reservations, and tries to discourage parties larger than six.

After being on his feet for 30 years, he now has circulation issues and carpal tunnel. “My acupuncturist is great!” says Turley, of the practitioner he visits in San Francisco regularly. “He has a bit of a western medical background so he understands my situation. After all, I work in restaurants, so I am by definition a masochist!”

While in San Francisco, he seeks out Chinese herbs and special vegetables, like celtuce, wonton skins and noodles, and other things one can only buy fresh in Chinatown. It’s the little things, but it’s also the big things. “I decided to open this restaurant as therapy,” says Turley. “I have proven my point, and we survived four years and we are still going. I want GOGA to be a place of wellness and mindfulness and be a service.”