Kajiken, the brothless ramen chain known for its springy, saucy noodles, opened its first South Bay restaurant at Westfield Valley Fair in Santa Clara on Friday morning. The new spot launched at 11 a.m., giving South Bay noodle fans a local outpost of a brand that has already built a cult following elsewhere in the Bay Area.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, owner Timothy Lu opened Kajiken’s first California location in San Mateo in 2023, and that restaurant went on to earn Michelin recognition and a spot on the Chronicle’s 2025 Top 100 list. Lu, who now operates both the San Mateo and Valley Fair locations, told the Chronicle he wanted to reach a larger South Bay audience after his first restaurant took off. He said the Valley Fair spot feels like a fun fit because it places Japanese noodles alongside other specialty food vendors in the mall.
Kajiken specializes in abura soba, a brothless style of ramen built on springy, house-made noodles tossed in oil and sauce rather than swimming in soup. The chain was launched in Nagoya, Japan, in 2010 by Kaji Kenichi, and it has since grown to more than 100 locations worldwide, including outposts in Singapore and China, per the Chronicle’s reporting.
What’s on the Menu at the New Santa Clara Spot
The Valley Fair restaurant serves the same menu as the San Mateo location, the Chronicle reports, with eight signature abura soba options priced between $16.50 and $26.95 a bowl. Toppings include chashu, spicy minced pork, ground chicken, wagyu roast beef, fried tofu, plant-based pork and barbecue eel, giving diners plenty of ways to customize their bowl…