Ippudo Spin-Off Joins Japanese Cheesecake on the Peninsula

With Hillsdale Shopping Center’s recently renovated dining terrace, San Mateo is getting a whopping 10 new restaurants — including two spots sure to be exciting for Japanese food fans.

Uncle Tetsu Japanese Cheesecake has opened its first Northern California post in the mall, and it’s something of a global phenomenon. The Japan-born chain specializes in exceedingly light, fluffy Japanese cheesecakes, which offer a delicate cheese flavor with a soft, souffle-like texture. Uncle Tetsu has just two other locations in the U.S., in Los Angeles and Honolulu, so expect long lines for its original-flavored, still-warm-from-the-oven cheesecakes. (Coffee, matcha, and chocolate cheesecakes are still to come.) The San Mateo branch also serves matcha tea with cheese foam, salty green tea, and green milk tea.

Kuro-Obi also promises to be a huge draw. The new ramen stall is a casual spin-off of Japan’s famed Ippudo chain, with only one other U.S. location in New York. Here, the specialty is tori-paitan ramen, which features a creamy chicken broth.

There’s also Blue Whale Poke Bar and Grill, which will serve Japanese mains alongside poke bowls and sushi rolls; Sarku Japan, a local mini chain featuring bento boxes, teriyaki, and tempura; Tacos El Grullense, another post of the local chain of taquerias; and MidiC Neapolitan Pizza Company, the first Northern California post for this custom Neapolitan pizza restaurant opening in December.

• San Mateo mall adds Kuro-Obi ramen, Uncle Tetsu Japanese cheesecake [San Jose Mercury News]
• Hillsdale Shopping Center [official]
• Uncle Tetsu Japanese Cheesecake [official]
• Kuro-Obi [official]