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Albuquerque’s West Side to welcome Japanese brunch spot
Shoku House is expected to open at McMahon Marketplace by August
If you ask Dipo Alam how many businesses he’s involved in, he has to take a moment to count.
Alam is part-owner of Potato Corner, Paleta Bar, Spring Rollin’, Pho Kup, La Vida Conchas, Sa Thai, Juice Ritual, Rice Box & Boba and Nuevo Atrisco Food Park — and he’s not stopping there. The newest business to join Alam’s portfolio is Shoku House, a Japanese brunch restaurant coming to Albuquerque’s West Side.
Alam is shooting to open the restaurant, located in the McMahon Marketplace shopping center at 10660 Unser NW, by August. The restaurant will feature a variety of Japanese breakfast dishes — including a rice omelet and extra-fluffy soufflé pancakes — as well as lunch offerings of rice, steak and chicken in a bento-box format. Menu items will range between $14 and $25.
“A lot of people here are doing sushi, but nobody actually is doing Japanese breakfast,” said Alam, who has been workshopping the Shoku House concept for nine months.
Alam found a home for his idea in April, when he was driving along Unser Boulevard and saw that a space formerly occupied by Mexican restaurant Dose Amigos was available. Alam connected with the landlord and quickly signed a six-year lease for the space.
Shoku House’s roughly 2,000-square-foot unit is currently undergoing a $150,000 renovation to implement a Japanese aesthetic, said Alam, who is launching the venture with a partner.
Once open, the restaurant will create 15 full- and part-time jobs. The space’s indoor and outdoor areas can seat roughly 95 people.
Alam said he hopes the restaurant offers not just an interesting food experience, but an informative and educational one, too.
“I just love creating something that people haven’t seen,” Alam said. “We’ve just been growing, and I’m always thankful for the support of the city, and that I’m able to bring value in terms of what I do, and just keep building up the community.”
Kylie Garcia covers retail and real estate for the Journal. You can reach her at kgarcia@abqjournal.com.