Popular Abura Soba shop chain Kajiken is expanding in the Bay Area — planning to debut a new outpost at the Valley Fair mall this autumn, per a statement on the Valley Fair website.
Located at 2855 Stevens Creek Boulevard, the eatery will land on the shopping center lineup alongside existing tenants such as California Pizza Kitchen, Coldstone Creamery, and Nick the Greek.
For readers who are unfamiliar with Kajiken, the concept was originally founded in Nagoya, Japan, in 2010. After reaching 35 franchised locations in Japan, the Kajiken Management Company was established, and the first international outpost was introduced in Singapore in 2016. The debut United States location was opened in Baltimore in August 2022, and the business opened its first Bay Area location in San Mateo in 2023. Presently, the business operates three outposts on the West Coast across Elk Grove, San Mateo, and Seattle.
It has become known internationally and in the Bay Area for its abura soba, which “can be described as soupless ramen, with flavors coming from a special blend of sauce and oil,” an introduction on the company’s website shares.
The statement continues, “Kajiken’s homemade thick noodles and sauces, imported from Japan, are made to perfectly complement each other. We believe what makes abura soba fun is the endless possibilities of toppings, making it always fun to experiment with different combinations each time.”
What Now San Francisco reached out to Tim Lu, the Bay Area franchisee behind the outpost, but he could not provide additional information before publication.
The exact opening date of Kajiken at Valley Fair has not been announced yet. Follow What Now San Francisco on Facebook for updates.
