The Story Behind Kota Bakery Vietnamese Deli and Tofu House: A Hidden Gem in Albuquerque

As I sat down to visit Kota Bakery Vietnamese Deli and Tofu House in Albuquerque, New Mexico, I couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and curiosity. With my background as a food enthusiast who has traveled the world and met with numerous chefs, owners, and immigrants, I had heard stories about this unique Vietnamese restaurant. And boy, was I right! This hidden gem is not only delicious but also tells an incredible story of immigration and family legacy.

Owner Win Win inherited her parents' Vietnamese recipes when they made the journey to America. Her husband's birth certificate and my own citizenship both list "international waters" as our country of birth, a testament to the challenges faced by many immigrants who have left their homelands in search of a better life. Despite these obstacles, Win Win has managed to preserve the authentic flavors and traditions of her Vietnamese heritage through her family's recipes.

One of the standout dishes on the menu is the shrimp and pork sausage bun, which I was not expecting to find at this casual fast food spot. However, it's clear that the restaurant is doing something special here. The flavor profile is unmistakably Vietnamese, with a perfect balance of sweet, salty, and spicy notes that will leave you wanting more.

The story behind the tofu is particularly fascinating. To make the bomb tofu, Win Win uses a combination of soybeans and a special grinder that resembles a water fountain from elementary school days. The tofu is then steamed to perfection in her father's converted water boiler steamer, which has been passed down through generations of cooks. The result is a tender, creamy, and sweet tofu that has won my heart.

To create the signature dish, Tofu Noodle Bowl, Win Win uses a combination of rice noodles, lettuce, cucumber, pickle carrots and daikon, bean sprouts, cilantro, mint from her mother's garden, scallion oil, roasted peanuts, and soy vinegar. The tofu is pan-fried to perfection and served on top of the bowl, with just the right amount of sauce to balance out the flavors.

What struck me most about Kota Bakery Vietnamese Deli and Tofu House was the sense of authenticity that permeates every dish. From the crispy spring rolls to the spicy Korean barbecue sauce, it's clear that Win Win has stuck to her guns and refused to compromise on quality or tradition. The restaurant is a true representation of Vietnamese cuisine at its finest, with each dish crafted with love and care by an immigrant who has brought their heritage to America.

As someone who has been eating tofu since childhood, I can confidently say that Kota Bakery's Tofu Noodle Bowl is the best I've ever had in my life. The consistency on the inside is like a custard, while the outside has just the right amount of crispiness. Combined with the pickled cucumber and carrots and daikon, as well as the sauce that perfectly balances sweet, salty, and spicy notes, this dish is truly unforgettable.

For me, Kota Bakery Vietnamese Deli and Tofu House represents more than just a delicious meal; it's a testament to the power of food to bring people together. Whether you're an immigrant or a food enthusiast, this restaurant is sure to leave you feeling full and content. So, if you ever find yourself in Albuquerque, do yourself a favor and stop by Kota Bakery – your taste buds will thank you!

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enso on triple d i've been there i've done that i've met them i've heard their story and i've tasted just about every type of menu that there is well i'm here in albuquerque new mexico and that might get broken today this is a story about an immigrant family like i've never heard before they're doing a menu that i've well i don't think i've quite seen before this one's unique this is kota bakery vietnamese deli and tofu house one shrimp and pork sausage bun me in albuquerque i was not expecting to find such a great hidden gem of this vietnamese restaurant i'm a fun guy i was born and raised in vietnam so this food is home to me it's home cooking that owner win win inherited when her vietnamese born parents made the journey to america you were leaving vietnam your wife's pregnant i was the one that was born on the boat so on the birth certificate and my citizenship it says country at birth is international waters seriously yes would we call this a vietnamese restaurant absolutely this is a vietnamese like casual fast food but the flavor is authentic do you really want to make the bomb tofu this is the process yes we have soybeans and then i'm going to grind it through the grinder which looks like it's a water fountain in elementary school turn on the water milk comes out on this bucket cook it in my dad's amazing steamer that he converted from a water boiler to a steam generator we're steaming milk like we're gigantic coffee shop skim off the foam e.t foam home now i'm going to develop it we use vinegar and water it's like making cheese so we're going to go ahead and strain use some cheesecloth that i soaked in a little bit of vinegar and water and i'm going to scoop in the curd i cured what you're saying fold this now we're gonna press it i'm so impressed there we go gorgeous like a big birthday cake cut it up and we fry we're gonna add some oil white onions tofu house-made korean barbecue sauce just glaze that sauce on there a little bit now we're gonna make the tofu noodle bowl rice noodles lettuce cucumber pickle carrots and daikon gorgeous bean sprouts cilantro mint from my mom's garden put on the plate scallion oil roasted peanuts soy vinegar i've been eating tofu since i was a kid but this is tender creamy sweet what light that's the top best three tofus i've ever had in my life and this dish that is perfectly made perfectly balanced gorgeous i would come back minimum once a week if not twice a week just to get that dish thank you oh yeah tofu oh my god it sounds so good this tofu is amazing the consistency on the inside is like a custard and then it has a little bit of crisp on the outside combined with all these pickled cucumber and carrots and daikon and then there's this sauce that is just the right amount of salty and sweet with a little bit of spicy to it it really just knocks it out of the park shrimp and pork sausage spring already this is really amazing there's so many corners that they can cut but they really stick to their guns and make authentic food absolutely you really feel like you're getting the best of vietnamese cosy youso on triple d i've been there i've done that i've met them i've heard their story and i've tasted just about every type of menu that there is well i'm here in albuquerque new mexico and that might get broken today this is a story about an immigrant family like i've never heard before they're doing a menu that i've well i don't think i've quite seen before this one's unique this is kota bakery vietnamese deli and tofu house one shrimp and pork sausage bun me in albuquerque i was not expecting to find such a great hidden gem of this vietnamese restaurant i'm a fun guy i was born and raised in vietnam so this food is home to me it's home cooking that owner win win inherited when her vietnamese born parents made the journey to america you were leaving vietnam your wife's pregnant i was the one that was born on the boat so on the birth certificate and my citizenship it says country at birth is international waters seriously yes would we call this a vietnamese restaurant absolutely this is a vietnamese like casual fast food but the flavor is authentic do you really want to make the bomb tofu this is the process yes we have soybeans and then i'm going to grind it through the grinder which looks like it's a water fountain in elementary school turn on the water milk comes out on this bucket cook it in my dad's amazing steamer that he converted from a water boiler to a steam generator we're steaming milk like we're gigantic coffee shop skim off the foam e.t foam home now i'm going to develop it we use vinegar and water it's like making cheese so we're going to go ahead and strain use some cheesecloth that i soaked in a little bit of vinegar and water and i'm going to scoop in the curd i cured what you're saying fold this now we're gonna press it i'm so impressed there we go gorgeous like a big birthday cake cut it up and we fry we're gonna add some oil white onions tofu house-made korean barbecue sauce just glaze that sauce on there a little bit now we're gonna make the tofu noodle bowl rice noodles lettuce cucumber pickle carrots and daikon gorgeous bean sprouts cilantro mint from my mom's garden put on the plate scallion oil roasted peanuts soy vinegar i've been eating tofu since i was a kid but this is tender creamy sweet what light that's the top best three tofus i've ever had in my life and this dish that is perfectly made perfectly balanced gorgeous i would come back minimum once a week if not twice a week just to get that dish thank you oh yeah tofu oh my god it sounds so good this tofu is amazing the consistency on the inside is like a custard and then it has a little bit of crisp on the outside combined with all these pickled cucumber and carrots and daikon and then there's this sauce that is just the right amount of salty and sweet with a little bit of spicy to it it really just knocks it out of the park shrimp and pork sausage spring already this is really amazing there's so many corners that they can cut but they really stick to their guns and make authentic food absolutely you really feel like you're getting the best of vietnamese cosy you\n"