Boba Café and Cabaret has new owner, same great atmosphere

Las Cruces Realtor Gail Zimmer and I have traded many email messages during the last few years about her daughter, Taylor Rey, and more recently, about Zimmer’s very successful “Search for a Star” competition in January and February at Boba Cabaret. Realizing we had never actually met in person, we decided to have lunch together there March 5.

Angela Stoltenberg bought the restaurant and cabaret from Chris and Eliza Waggoner a little more than a year ago, and it was nice to see her again, busy as ever behind the counter, serving and greeting customers. And, as usual, the restaurant was busy with a full lunch crowd.

One of the things I like the most that Stoltenberg has held on to from the Waggoners is gluten-free bread. And, it’s really good gluten-free bread, too. I had a corned beef sandwich – it’s called a Rueben on the menu, but I can’t abide sauerkraut, so our excellent waitress, Erica Hall, left that off – with swiss cheese and thousand island dressing. It was outstanding!

Zimmer got Hall and Stoltenberg to create a made-to-order salad that included some tasty-looking chicken and cheese. Hmmm, I should have asked for a sample, especially since there was such a healthy portion, Zimmer had to take a good bit of it home in a box.

Zimmer had rousing success with her first producing venture at Boba Cabaret. Twelve contestants were selected for the competition, performing before sold-out audiences during four performances, Jan. 31-Feb. 8. Some of the contestants had never faced an audience before, Zimmer said, adding that they all had a great time, and the winner, Timothy Parra, got a $500 cash prize.

Zimmer said she’s looking forward to doing more shows at the cabaret. I’ve performed there a few times, although it’s been a while. It’s a great venue, and I always enjoy going.

The lunch and dinner menus include a wide range of appetizers, salads, soups (Egg Flower, Albuquerque Torilla and even Shrimp, Tofu and Seaweed), sandwiches (everything from a BLT to tuna salad with green apples), quesadillas, wraps and rollups. Dinner specials include Caribbean Night any night of the week, featuring beef, chicken, shrimp and combination jerk dinners, with Boba’s own special green chile jerk sauce.

There’s also a kid’s menu.

Boba also has beer and wine, a wide range of sodas and coffee drinks and, of course, the bubble milk tea for which it’s most famous. And ask about their desserts.

Boba Café and Cabaret, 1900 S. Espina St., is open 10:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m., Monday-Thursday and 10:30 a.m.- 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday. The restaurant is closed on Sundays. You can eat inside or on the outdoor patio, and Boba also has delivery service available. Call 575-647-5900.