Step inside Boba Catch for DIY Korean ramen, boba tea and arcade claw machines

RIO RANCHO — I felt my head spin as I entered the plastic and neon wonderland known as Boba Catch, where piles of supercute pig-taco plushies and Labubu-like creatures huddled in bright, gleaming claw machines, ready to be won. An animatronic robot at the door ushered me in with the grace of a symphony conductor while the synthesized bleeps and bloops of arcade machines filled the air. Underfoot, the epoxy floor was a swirl of rainbow colors. I could scarcely believe I was still in Rio Rancho.

For just $20.99, I got a very filling bowl of ramen with three toppings, a made-to-order boba drink and 10 arcade tokens. For the uninitiated, boba is a fun, textural journey in a cup. Tapioca pearls or gel-like capsules are dunked into a fruity or milky tea base, and as you suck them through an oversized straw, they pop in your mouth — a sensation people either love or hate.

I chose Thai iced tea with yogurt-filled popping bobas, a slightly strange flavor combo I likely won’t repeat, though the tea and the boba pearls were both delicious on their own.

For my ramen, I selected a packet of Nongshim’s Shin Ramyun — an extra-spicy variety made with gochugaru, or Korean red chile pepper powder. The bright red package was emblazoned with an image of the pink-haired character, Mira, from “K-Pop Demon Hunters” — part of Nongshim’s recent bid to appeal to a younger demographic.

Although you order at a counter, the ramen is considered self-serve. You boil it yourself at automated stations — a fun, semi-social experience that’s popular in Seoul, apparently. Newcomers like me need not be intimidated by the machines. Friendly staff were happy to assist with the buttons.

My three toppings were seaweed, chopped Spam and a hard-boiled egg, halved. No complaints. The other options were shredded cheese, green onion, kimchi and imitation crab. If you just want the ramen, without the drink or tokens, you can get that for $8.99.

Given that a single serving of Shin Ramyun by Nongshim costs $1.49 at Smith’s, $8.99 may seem a little steep, even with the toppings — especially considering that a bowl of Super Rich Tonkotsu Ramen with authentic chasu pork, black mushrooms and a seasoned egg only costs $9.50 at Naruto. But you don’t go to Boba Catch just for the food. It’s a total experience.

The owner, Tracy Nguyen, said she opened the business to give her children “a place to hang out and play and have quality time,” noting the lack of after-school hangout spots in Rio Rancho. But the novelty concept will certainly appeal to adults, as well — at least those with a childlike spirit who want a quick break from “adulting.” Boba Catch is open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays — so us cool kids, or wannabe cool kids, can go there morning, noon and night, if we so desire.

Nguyen, who is Vietnamese, also offers a variety of coffee drinks made with high-quality Vietnamese beans.

“What’s special about our menu is the Vietnamese coffee,” Nguyen said. “I even fly over there (to Vietnam) to get Vietnamese coffee to ship here. Everything is high mountain grown.”

Boba Catch’s official grand opening is on Sunday, Jan. 25, but I got a sneak peek at their soft opening on Jan. 17. Some items, such as croffles — a trendy croissant-waffle hybrid — weren’t available yet, so I’ll have to come back.

I left, slightly giddy, with a bellyful of delicious ramen and Thai tea. Slung over my shoulder was a bag of stuffed animals, including a pink Baby Shark. How kawaii!

Boba Catch might not appeal to serious grown-ups who only ever do serious, grown-up things. But if you’re a kid at heart, I encourage you to take some time out from your regularly scheduled life to experience the vibrant flavors, neon colors and cuteness overload that is Boba Catch. An experience unlike any other.

Logan Royce Beitmen is an arts writer for the Albuquerque Journal. He covers visual art, music, fashion, theater and more. Reach him at lbeitmen@abqjournal.com or on Instagram at @loganroycebeitmen.