Family, neighbors and crab cakes with Marcella at Koco’s Pub

You knew the Maryland Crab Cake Tour would find our way back to Koco’s and a lifetime of friendship with Marcella Knight and her mother, who built this neighborhood institution on Harford Road in Lauraville back in 1985. Now, we get a Money shot with a Baltimore sports fan who found a job and a home with the customers and family around this great spot in our city 30 years ago.

SUMMARY KEYWORDS

place, coco, crab cake, baltimore, remember, ravens, players, fillers, give, lounge, worked, met, couple, mother, raven, knew, bright, sweatshirt, good, mommy

SPEAKERS

Nestor Aparicio, Marcella Knight, Money

Nestor Aparicio  00:00

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What about wn St. Towson, Baltimore and Baltimore positive we are positively in the heart of Baltimore. We’re in beautiful laurelville. We’re on the south end of Harford Road, couple miles inside the beltway and a legendary spot. It is Coco’s pub. I was gonna sit on this sweatshirt here, but Marcel actually got me a fantastic seat cushion here. I’ll be giving away some W NSTC cushions over classes in a couple of weeks. But I’ve got the I got the Coco’s pop sweatshirt here. I got scratch offs in the Maryland lottery trying to find winners out here today. And our friends at window nation sending it out here to do these shows that we do that feature people real people in Baltimore doing things. I sometimes I was at spirits West last week, and I met Rick he’s the you have his place. I didn’t know him. But he listened to me on the radio and it was a little some about me. He’s west side. I’m he’s like, You’re like an old friend. I mean, I’ve been he asked me how long I’ve known you. And I said, I want to say 92 or 93. So I want to say before the Ravens came about right? I used to go to the Emerald tavern. On Sundays. It was the only place that had to football games on Harvey had a satellite dish share. And and it would allow me to see the Houston Oilers, they were my team. You always saw me an oil or blue. And you were there with your mom. And you always said to me, you got to come down to our place. We got to crabcake down here. And it says 85 So your mother found this place. And this is money ladies and gentlemen, if you’re watching out on the video cast money, say Say hello money.

Money  01:29

Hello, everybody. How y’all doing today? Now money has been

Nestor Aparicio  01:33

in and out as an employee of yours and your mother’s 3030 years here. So I’ve known you he said to me, he’s trying to figure out whether I knew you longer. He knew you longer. And he said, Well, I you know her mother originally rice. Yeah, I

Money  01:47

met her mother. Summer 93.

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Nestor Aparicio  01:52

All right. We’re 30 years ago. Yes. Well, it was 30 years ago today we had the all star game here in Baltimore. I worked at all star

Money  01:59

game. Did you I was there would you do? I was a Asha. Really? Yes. Up in three ad one at cheap in the corner. Yes. Upstairs. That feel you don’t have

Nestor Aparicio  02:13

to hold the microphone. It’s gonna be alright. I’ve been why you been working here. Give me the story back this place because I’ve been coming here for about that long. I came into your back when I knew you then I had a girlfriend that lived down the street here was sick lived down the street here. But your your crabcakes became famous pretty quickly, right? With crabcakes. Already the thing?

Money  02:35

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That thing that does this is what started this day in homelessness. It didn’t just happen overnight. It took some time for everybody to really get it going to for mommy to really get it going. But once she got it going, was it always this beat? Yes. It’s always been that way. Never. She she never believed on skimping. When he came down to the crib, well as skimpy. She also believed in never putting any fillers in her food. No fillers, why I don’t

Nestor Aparicio  03:09

have a fork, I was gonna give me a fork and some people sent me off for crabcakes and they’re like, try mine. It’s good. You like it? I’ve had this crabcake many times in my life and my goodness, crabcake we’re

Money  03:23

not gonna give you the secret of how this May. But you look through it, you’re not gonna find any fillers.

Nestor Aparicio  03:32

What will you tell me about the crabcake about the way it’s made, or your mother’s recipe or where it came from? All

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Marcella Knight  03:37

right. Well, my mom always worked in the business. She got some experience from other places that she worked. And when she was she worked at the pump room, where it was it was down on North Avenue. 12 year old school. She worked at the pump room. She worked at the Olympic Lounge on Greenmount Avenue. And yeah, you didn’t know that. He’s known. Thanks. Yeah, she agreed on what Green Mountain 33rd.

Nestor Aparicio  04:11

Stadium lounge? Yes by the sea. All right, that couple doors do to show I learned things

Money  04:17

which you know one thing about mommy, she always was a tough little lady. So you know, and she got around and she was real wise, very wise woman. One thing I learned about her, she was really wise. And you know, she knew something was going to happen. Something good was going to happen with that crab cake. And it happened.

Nestor Aparicio  04:41

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I mean, all these years later, you’re still here. Last time I was here. We were wearing masks. The mayor was here this American there Scott’s favorite crab cakes. Always come in. Well, when I said to him, I was doing a crab cake tour. We’re going to go goes out, you know, so we had to do it here. And when he came here, the master on it was COVID I mean just fight To keep your business I’m fighting to keep my business. We’re all wondering what the future is going to be. I gave you today. I got here at noon, I brought some peach cake from Fenwick and you’re bright again. Right? I mean, your place is so bright. It’s so Birdie and colorful and tropical and reminds me a little bit of fence. You know what I mean? Old school. But maybe maybe two or three two pieces might have been on the wall up again. But to see right again and see the place I mean, look at the place look behind his people just do your bearing out here. Your shipping. You’re doing everything here, right? Like

Money  05:31

I remember the place 30 years ago, when we first opened it

Nestor Aparicio  05:37

was in this space. And I remember the door was always a little unique. Having this side door. No one has a door like

Money  05:44

remember that. Two pool tables and cross lighting and

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Marcella Knight  05:49

this used to be two pools. Now that he’s bringing

Money  05:53

it up, I do you remember all of those, you know, you know that big circle in that window right there. Right. It’s been there for a while

Marcella Knight  06:05

since it was called the escape lounge. Yes,

Money  06:10

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it was a motorcycle club way back in

Marcella Knight  06:13

the escape lounge and prior to that it was the Cadillac. And prior to that it was new men’s. And Newman’s family comes in here now like their grandchildren, great grandchildren.

Nestor Aparicio  06:24

Was it a craft?

Money  06:27

No. It was it was a bar than it was a motorcycle bar. And when Mommy got her hands on it, it became Coco.

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Marcella Knight  06:37

She filled it with good food and love why Coco’s that’s my dad’s last name.

Money  06:44

Yes. Okay. Yes. Why I have to ask this

Marcella Knight  06:47

question. My dad’s nickname was Coco. So

Nestor Aparicio  06:50

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I didn’t know you. Margarita. Yeah. I mean, I’ve learned things. I mean, today, she’s at this table, and I’m watching you in the middle of the day manage the chaos that is your business, your Coco’s pub. But what you’re doing today was kind of special. You were there were schools, asking for donations from you. Right. And being a part of the community. I thought, That’s it. That’s something that I want to see we grab my crab cake I even want to follow your server man. You’re in the business. As far as the community goes, and the community support you, you’re well beyond Barbourville here, people come from all over the city all over the state, right? I mean, literally to come

Marcella Knight  07:29

out of state Saturday. Saturdays, people come from all out of state, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, just

Nestor Aparicio  07:38

I mean, like for some places, it’s a guy for Yeti. You’ve been feeded by I mean, I see Don and Marty on who everybody knows about you. What makes people out of town. When they say Where did you hear about it? It’s

Marcella Knight  07:49

this social media now. Yes, we don’t do any advertising. Everything is word of mouth and social media.

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Money  07:57

When I see the size of that they run here because you don’t get that anywhere else.

Nestor Aparicio  08:03

Well, I understand that.

Money  08:05

Graphics every week. Yes, you don’t get that anywhere else. So

Nestor Aparicio  08:08

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first of all, is a recipe goes What do you want to say about it? Because I would call it a country club grab get it tasted? I know what it tastes like? east sides berry obey forward.

Money  08:19

Okay, right.

Nestor Aparicio  08:20

It’s not bright. It’s broiled. It’s sweet. It’s very sweet.

Money  08:23

It says it’s Baltimore. Is Baltimore. That’s what it is. That’s for sure. As Baltimore week, we

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Marcella Knight  08:31

use the kiss method. We keep it simple. Yes. Not a whole lot of ingredients ever changed a whole lot of crap. And good quality products. always been the same. always been the same.

Nestor Aparicio  08:44

All right. Well, I implore everybody to get our talk sports but you fermented here. All right. Sure. Oreos are Ravens.

Money  08:51

I’m both grew up. I grew up with Oreos, and Nicole started playing baseball when I was about seven, right. Back in the early money. Money Money Back in the days, Frank and Brooks knew we have a ratio Mark Malanda out know a little bit. A little bit of you know,

Nestor Aparicio  09:18

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was apple. Who’s your favorite?

Money  09:21

My favorite player? Yeah. Frank, round, Frank.

Nestor Aparicio  09:23

Alright, fair enough. That’s

Money  09:26

when I was growing up. He was my he was one of my favorite players. Broke comment. He was my best was my greatest player. He

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Nestor Aparicio  09:34

was a pirate. So you know, he was I want

Money  09:37

you know, just because you want a pirate he was wrong. You know, that’s it mean? I’m talking about his Clemente, but he was a pirate. Yes, he was a pirate and they jumped on us. Oh, you’re a little older to me. So

Nestor Aparicio  09:48

you remember that more vividly? Yes. And like I say I remember 79 Pirates. I remember star. Read Oh,

Money  09:56

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if you have Baltimorean who don’t remember what you said. Now, but the Ravens over the 20 years that they’ve been here, I was stunned to see alto now. I think the Ravens is one of the best franchises in the National Football League. Why no reason last two books about the Ravens franchise. So and the reason why I say that here’s a franchise at one, two Super Bowls in 20 years, right? Less than 20. Yes, less than 20 years. Right. Right now, the team that they have, they need is two or three is three plans out there right now that I think that they got two of them. The chances are winning a Super Bowl is great. Who are they? I love them to Houston, Houston. The player from Minnesota if they can get him the defensive player, or xavion clown. If they get those two on defense, they get to those three on defense. I’m not worried about the offense is the defense that wins championships. Always won championships in Baltimore. He’s remembered Ray Lewis. Yes, that’s my greatest player of all players. He is the greatest. The greatest Raven, one of the greatest athletes. Yes, no play foot play in Baltimore.

Nestor Aparicio  11:22

Mr. Danson there’s more if you really want

Money  11:26

and like I say, appreciate the time. You know, I would like to get a bunch of the Raven ballplayers to come in and eat right only a couple of them has been here in

Nestor Aparicio  11:37

Troy, Torrey Smith. He’s been here in eight tours.

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Money  11:40

And and one of the new rookies came in here. I didn’t get to see him I didn’t I don’t know which one it was nobody in here knew which one he was all they knew he was a raven. Now,

Nestor Aparicio  11:51

like I said, as his autograph then you figure

Money  11:54

those three players out of those three players if they can get to level right and and outside linebackers pass rushes, they get those two players want to want to I mean two or three players that I just mentioned.

Nestor Aparicio  12:11

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They’re gonna give some time to away and he’s gonna have to get after the quarterback. They got young guys gonna step up. But see,

Money  12:15

like I said, when you got experience and age to teach those younger players how to do it. That way it makes it even better. That’s why I think they should bring back Justin Houston. Right? I agree. And the guy from Minnesota as a young guy was named the pass rusher that wants out.

Nestor Aparicio  12:37

Darius Smith you

Money  12:39

know, he plays from Minnesota. His name is

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Nestor Aparicio  12:44

that’s okay. Don’t worry about it. They get

Money  12:46

origins avian clowny as far as pass rushing, teaching these young guys how to pass rush. I think they got a good chat. Because

Nestor Aparicio  12:57

I appreciate he was talking about he’s getting ready for sports. We’re gonna talk some more food. Okay, I’m gonna give you copies of my books. I think Brian Billick autographed that oh, yeah, there you go. Copy Purple Rain. Want to give a little background on what’s going on here.

Money  13:16

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Hey, I know I love it eat and sleep Ravens.

Nestor Aparicio  13:21

Why do you give me give me a cocoa storage. The thing you love most other than

Money  13:26

most of my mother’s place is her mother. She raised me when I mean I was 3334 years old. But when I got here, right, I was a trash man. And, like, my background was, you know, I come from a tough neighborhood. My upbringing was tough. And to meet somebody like her. I mean, change your life. Yes, she did. She practically changed my life, man. I mean, she was so she she showed me so much love and respect that I had to give it back to her the same way that she without me. You know, when I met her I was a Transnet getting her trash right? And I asked her to she needs some help. And she said sure. What can you do? I said I can do anything you want me to cave in and clean the stones for cleaning the Frigidaire

Nestor Aparicio  14:26

she told me before you got here this place wouldn’t be here without you. Big part of this place over 30 names

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Money  14:31

right then and there. I asked could I get you know get some time and she says you if you want a job here you can work here after I got finished cleaning up for it. She was so happy that I cleaned her stove in her fridge. She gave me a job and ever since then, you know I’ve been working for her. You know? I love it as if she was my real mother. I asked about all the time I miss it because I miss a sing in good jokes.

Marcella Knight  15:02

You don’t think all you got to do is look at me money

Nestor Aparicio  15:08

you got all the jokes st jokes.

Money  15:10

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look in her face you’ll see her money

Nestor Aparicio  15:12

appreciate that beautiful story about her mom. Remember mom to me? You guys you guys were hopping down here it was hard.

Money  15:24

She’s an angel without the wings and and definitely she’s one of them. I met some beautiful people in my days but her she was some special man you know,

Marcella Knight  15:36

he told me he met her when she was she was in the kitchen singing and cooking.

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Money  15:40

Singing and cooking. You’re familiar with

Marcella Knight  15:45

the same thing I walk around here singing all the time. People think I’m crazy but

Nestor Aparicio  15:48

I’ll say this man your staffs out here making this thing happen. Money I got to take a break because I got another guest I want to come on and talk about some food here. All right,

Money  15:55

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we got a blogger good. Yeah, I’m good. All right. Money’s

Nestor Aparicio  15:57

here. Come see him over Coco’s Marcellus here. Come get this giant crab cake 1000s Do all the time there’s a line form and air and carry out and shipping and all that stuff. Brought to you by our friends at the Maryland lottery in conjunction with our friends and window nation. 866 90 nation Oh, it’s

Money  16:12

just yeah, it’s about that time. It’s about the tougher crap game.

Nestor Aparicio  16:17

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