{"id":54156,"date":"2024-05-10T00:01:40","date_gmt":"2024-05-10T06:01:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=54156"},"modified":"2026-04-03T11:30:40","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T17:30:40","slug":"kawaii-boba-cafe-albuquerque-new-mexico","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=54156","title":{"rendered":"Kawaii Boba Cafe – Albuquerque, New Mexico"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\"\"<\/a>
Kawaii Boba Cafe for Anime Aficionados and Ramen Lovers<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I have a confession to make.\u00a0 I just don’t get anime…and can’t figure out the pokemon craze.\u00a0 That’s a rather starting admission for an Information Technology (IT) professional to make.\u00a0 Maybe I need help? \u00a0 After all, for your stereotypical male IT professional, anime and pokemon are just steps in the typical progression of IT affectations.\u00a0 They’re the logical graduation that follows a rather unhealthy obsession with Princess Leia and all things Star Wars.\u00a0 Which reminds me, I found Star Wars silly and boring.\u00a0 Since I’m airing dirty laundry, I may as well admit I’d just as soon watch paint dry as play a video game.\u00a0 Any video game. Nor do I ever celebrate Pi day (March 14th) and my Kim had to explain what Star Wars Day (May 4th) means (May the fourth be with you).<\/p>\n

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Place Your Order at the Counter and Peruse all the Items for Sale<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

My male colleagues in the IT profession, several of whom still live in their mom’s basement, are probably apoplectic about these revelations.\u00a0 They probably think I don’t like dinosaurs either.\u00a0 Well, er…\u00a0\u00a0 All these heretical confessions probably mean I’ll have to renounce all my IT certifications and turn in my beanie.\u00a0 Next thing you know my techno-nerd<\/strong><\/a> colleagues will hack my computer to infect it with images of Princess Leia in her bikini slave outfit.\u00a0 For them, Princess Leia is the pinnacle of pulchritude, the sultry seductress they’d most like to date…if only they weren’t afraid of women.<\/p>\n

For those of you even worse off than me, those who might think Anime is a little town in the southwest corner of the state, I’ll try to explain what anime is…or at least what I think it is.\u00a0\u00a0 Beyond being the Japanese word for “animation,” anime is a descriptor for animated cartoons.\u00a0 Anime-obsessed IT professionals seem to gravitate toward female characters, typically generously endowed with big…er, eyes among other features.\u00a0 They can recite from memory the 50 hottest anime girls of all time<\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0 Yeah, there is such a list.\u00a0 And, by the way, there’s no such thing as an anime comic book.\u00a0 Comic books, all comic books, are called manga.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Anime Follows You Everywhere<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I was surprised not to find a convention of IT professionals, nerds, geeks, brainiacs and Poindexters at Kawaii Boba Tea, an anime-themed cafe on Albuquerque’s burgeoning west side.\u00a0 Maybe they were all trying to levitate out of bed using the Force. \u00a0 At Kawaii, we found ourselves surrounded by anime characters, even in the restroom (where some of my colleagues might go to perform a “download routine”).\u00a0 A large screen television is tuned to anime.\u00a0 Even the name Kawaii is anime-centric.\u00a0 It means “cute<\/strong><\/a>” and has nothing to do with a Hawaiian Island.<\/p>\n

For every one of the unenlightened among us who will never get anime, there are people like Jaylena and her dad who share a love of all things anime…and they’re not even IT professionals.\u00a0 Jaylena, a West Mesa High School student, can’t get enough of it.\u00a0 She and her dad created all the anime characters portrayed on the walls of their small cafe.\u00a0 They’re very well drawn and well…rather cute, too.\u00a0 Lest you think I might be a late convert, once we saw the menu, all puzzlement was forgotten as to what IT professionals find so “fascinating” (to quote another favorite of the profession) about anime.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Chamango and Love Dream<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For IT professionals powering up their toy-Yodas for a fix of boba, ramen and anime, Kawaii is located off Orilla Road in the same strip mall complex that houses the second instantiation of Village Pizza<\/strong><\/a> as well as Thai Boran<\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0 It’s also home to Flix Brewhouse<\/strong><\/a>, a movie theater which purports to serve “amazing food.”\u00a0 IT professionals might go there to catch the 400th or so installment of Star Wars, this one featuring the ageless Keith Richards as Chewbaca and Luke Skywalker wearing dentures and Depends.\u00a0 By now my IT colleagues are sending me threatening messages in binary code.<\/p>\n

All humor at the expense of nerds everywhere aside, Kawaii is a cafe with serious food chops.\u00a0 Jaylena’s grandmother is the longtime chef at Krung Thai.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/a> She’s a local legend when it comes to the preparation of Thai and Lao cuisine.\u00a0 You won’t find any Thai or Lao cuisine on the menu at Kawaii, but you will find a something for everyone selection of boba tea and delicious food to go with them.\u00a0 You can choose green or black tea for your base or have your drink blended (what my nerdy friends might call a mixed drink). If you’re looking for something creamier, you can have a milk tea.\u00a0 There are nearly twenty flavors from which to choose–everything from blueberry to watermelon (but no durian).<\/p>\n

\"\"
Four Years After Our Inaugural Visit: Chamango (Left) and Passionfruit (Right)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There are four entrees on the menu<\/strong><\/a>: miso ramen, tonkotsu ramen, udon, a guydon bowl and a teriyaki chicken bowl.\u00a0 Five starters will get you started off on the right foot: Kawaii baos, Kawaii BBQ buns, takoyaki, Spam musubi and edamame.\u00a0 It’s a rather small menu, but it’s befitting the Lilliputian space in which food and drink are served.\u00a0 Service is prompt and friendly…and if you have any questions about anime (as we did) Jaylena will tell you all you need to know.<\/p>\n

Albuquerque was late to the party (big surprise, right?) when it comes to a trend that began sweeping the nation in the 1990s.\u00a0 That trend was boba tea which didn’t hit the Duke City until about a decade later.\u00a0 Two decades later, boba tea continues to grow in popularity.\u00a0 So do boba cafes which specialize in large, colorful\u00a0tapioca balls<\/a><\/strong> that float inside the drink and often clog the oversized straws.\u00a0 The name “boba,” by the way, refers specifically to these chewy little pearls. My Kim, who loves tea enjoyed the Love Dream,<\/strong><\/em> a house blend made with strawberry, watermelon and lemon smoothie with mango stars and heart jellies.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Kawaii Baos<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As perhaps the only person in the world not to like tea (and anime, pokemon, Star Wars, Harry Potter (oops…let that one slip) and dinosaurs), I opted for something entirely different.\u00a0 Fittingly because (very nerd-like) I like words and portmanteaus, my choice was the Chamango<\/strong><\/em> (smoothie with chamoy sauce and topped with mangoes and a candied straw).\u00a0 The assertive wonder that is chamoy (a syrupy sauce made from pickled fruit mixed with spicy chiles and a salty brine) paired with the sweet (though slightly out-of-season) mangoes is a match made in anime heaven. \u00a0Four years after our inaugural visit, I also had Chamango. \u00a0Unlike during my first Chamago, this one wasn’t overfilled with mango.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Spam Musubi<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Also known as steamed buns, bao is a complete meal conveniently packed away in a white, warm, soft bun. That’s how the Food Republic<\/strong><\/a> describes these delicious balls of dough.\u00a0 Most of us would describe them as a snack.\u00a0 Seriously, you can’t eat just one, especially if they’re as delicious as the Kawaii Baos<\/strong><\/em> (two steamed buns with chicken, chile sauce, cucumber kimchi, and pickled vegetables (red onions, jalapeno, and cilantro)) at Kawaii.\u00a0 The bread from which bao are made is a delightful combination of texture (soft and fluffy) and sweetness, the latter courtesy of sugar.\u00a0 This is an Asian carb experience which fittingly rhymes with “wow.”<\/p>\n

Although the cafe’s name only sounds Hawaiian, one appetizer is most decidedly from the Oahu State.\u00a0 That would be Spam musubi<\/strong><\/em>, a very popular snack in Hawaii that very closely resembles sushi.\u00a0 Comprised of only five or six ingredients–chief among them lightly fried Spam, an entire sheet of nori (edible seaweed), vinegared rice and soy sauce–it’s a form of “surf and turf” aficionados of Spam embrace.\u00a0 Whether or not Spam musubi will catch on in the way sushi did remains to be seen.\u00a0 Let Kawaii help you make your own decision.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Tonkotsu Ramen<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Chef David Chang contends that “ramen is not one thing; there are many, many different types<\/em>.”\u00a0 While it may be true that a variety of types of ramen exist, the one type you’ll find at virtually every ramen restaurant is tonkotsu ramen.\u00a0 Kawaii’s tonkotsu ramen<\/strong><\/em> (pork soup broth, ramen noodles, pork charshu, naruto (fish cake), soft-boiled egg, mushrooms, green onion, corn and dried seaweed) is creamy, milky and thick with a cloudy sheen that comes from a broth made from pork bones.\u00a0 It’s one of those comforting elixirs that’s especially appreciated in winter, but enjoyable any time of year.<\/p>\n

The miso soup made from dashi and miso paste often served at Japanese restaurants has little semblance to miso ramen which is several orders of magnitude better.\u00a0 Miso, a Japanese fermented soybean paste, is one of three basic ramen flavors, the other two being Shio (salt) and Shoyu (soy sauce).\u00a0 Miso ramen is a very hearty soup with a robust, tangy flavor which stands up to a variety of flavorful toppings.\u00a0 Kawaii’s miso ramen<\/strong><\/em> (miso soup broth, ramen noodles, pork charshu, naruto (fish cake), soft boiled egg, mushrooms, green onion, and dried seaweed. Roasted black garlic oil available upon request) is terrific, a very enjoyable panacea for the ills of hunger.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Miso Ramen<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This review is dedicated to my friend Ken VanLyssel<\/a><\/strong>, an IT professional in every sense of the word and member of the 501st Legion (whatever that is).\u00a0 Ken has forgiven me for referring to his Star Wars figures as “dolls” and even for pointing out that his stormtrooper costume is about as intimidating as an ice cream salesman’s uniform. He may not forgive me for having visited an anime-themed cafe without him.<\/p>\n

Kawaii Boba Cafe<\/strong>
\n3200 La Orilla, N.W.
\nAlbuquerque, New Mexico<\/strong>
\n(505) 508-0601
\nWebsite<\/strong><\/a> | Facebook Page<\/strong><\/a>
\nLATEST VISIT<\/strong>: 10 May 2024
\n1st VISIT<\/strong>: 9 February 2020
\n# OF VISITS<\/strong>: 2
\nRATING<\/strong>: Good<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0\u2013 good food, decent service, and a clean environment; provides a satisfactory, dependable, and standard experience
\nCOST<\/strong>: $$
\nBEST BET<\/strong>: Miso Ramen, Tonkotsu Ramen, Spam Musubi, Kawaii Baos, Chamango, Love Dream
\nREVIEW #1147<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I have a confession to make.\u00a0 I just don’t get anime…and can’t figure out the pokemon craze.\u00a0 That’s a rather starting admission for an Information Technology (IT) professional to make.\u00a0 Maybe I need help? \u00a0 After all, for your stereotypical male IT professional, anime and pokemon are just steps in the typical progression of IT affectations.\u00a0 They’re the logical graduation that follows a rather unhealthy obsession with Princess Leia and all things Star Wars.\u00a0 Which reminds me, I found Star Wars silly and boring.\u00a0 Since I’m airing dirty laundry, I may as well admit I’d just as soon watch paint dry as play a video game.\u00a0 Any video game. Nor do I ever celebrate Pi day (March 14th) and my…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":66782,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[440,703,380,141,692],"tags":[2465,3973,3976,3978,3972,3974,3664,3979,3977,3619,3975],"class_list":["post-54156","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-albuquerque","category-dog-friendly","category-japanese","category-new-mexico","category-ramen","tag-boba","tag-chamango","tag-guydon-bowl","tag-kawaii-bao","tag-krung-thai","tag-miso-ramen","tag-ramen","tag-spam-musubi","tag-teriyaki-chicken-bowl","tag-tonkatsu-ramen","tag-udon"],"yoast_head":"\nKawaii Boba Cafe - Albuquerque, New Mexico - Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=54156\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Kawaii Boba Cafe - Albuquerque, New Mexico - Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"I have a confession to make.\u00a0 I just don’t get anime…and can’t figure out the pokemon craze.\u00a0 That’s a rather starting admission for an Information Technology (IT) professional to make.\u00a0 Maybe I need help? \u00a0 After all, for your stereotypical male IT professional, anime and pokemon are just steps in the typical progression of IT affectations.\u00a0 They’re the logical graduation that follows a rather unhealthy obsession with Princess Leia and all things Star Wars.\u00a0 Which reminds me, I found Star Wars silly and boring.\u00a0 Since I’m airing dirty laundry, I may as well admit I’d just as soon watch paint dry as play a video game.\u00a0 Any video game. 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