Santouka has been a staple of Mitsuwa for years, long before the pandemic. I always enjoyed their ramen -- no frills, nothing fancy, but hits the ramen spot. The bowls/portion size seemed to have gotten a bit smaller over time and are more expensive now, but such is shrinkflation. I typically like to get the shoyu ramen, which comes with two slices of chashu, a piece of seaweed and some green onions & bamboo shoots. They also have combos where you can get a small rice bowl alongside your ramen -- the salmon roe one is always a favorite of mine, but there's a few options including natto if you're a fan.

I took my order to go on this occasion, and it was well packaged -- the ramen noodles were separate from the soup & toppings. And the rice bowl was in its own container. The plastic bag was tied tightly so nothing would tip over/spill during transport. And overall taste was still great for takeout and cost me $24 for the medium size ramen combo with salmon rice bowl. Not too bad for ramen in the Bay. Soup was a bit salty to drink, so I tend to save some for another meal and dilute it down by adding more noodles & water.

Line wasn't too long this time around, and the orders came out quickly (they'll call your number). Staff member taking the orders was very friendly, but the one handing out orders to pick up was not so much. They used to be cash-only but now they take card & apple pay after the pandemic era. Seating is food-court style if you chose to dine in. Parking in the plaza can be a struggle but usually better chance if you wait for someone just finished their grocery run.

Awesome Yelp event -- thanks to Tong Sui & Yelp for putting this together. I got the signature coconut pudding as the complimentary item, and then also ordered an earl grey pudding. Staff was super friendly and they were very busy, but still meticulously packed each item/order.

The coconut pudding was super tasty and the coconut flakes they give you add a nice crunch factor to it. The earl grey pudding's flavor though, wins out for me. The puddings overall were not too sweet, very smooth and an excellent low-sugar dessert. They have a bunch of other flavors that I would love to come back and try. It was a bummer they didn't have the ube sago one (seemed to be popular) as I would've loved to get that too. Each pudding was roughly $7-$10 depending on which flavor you get, and the size is enough for one person, but isn't huge either.

Interior is cute but not too big -- a few patio-style tables/chairs and benches, but mostly for people waiting for orders. There is a kiosk to self-order, or you can order directly with a staff member. I would definitely stop by when I'm in the area again!

Ordered online for pickup and got the avocado bacon chicken sandwich and some chicken bites. Both tasted fine, though nothing to write home about. The burger filling was good, but the bun really doesn't compare to the toasted ones like at In n Out. The chicken bites were good as well, kind of like an elevated chicken nuggets, and I thought were comparable to Chick Fil A. You can choose one sauce to go with and I got the Shack Sauce. Haven't tried the other sauces to know which goes best with it. It's a decent burger place, but can be a tad more on the expensive side.

Overall, service was super fast and I got texts reminding me to pick up. Staff member helped me find my order right after I walked in. It's too bad they do not have a curbside pick up option here, because parking at Valley Fair is super annoying if you're not sticking around to hang out in the mall. But if you do park in the garages, it is free for first 2 hours, so works for picking up food as well.

I pre-ordered online and got the miso salmon plate ($18.45 before tax). Order was ready on time and waiting for me in the pickup area, but they don't provide a bag if you only order one item. Located in the Pruneyard, parking here is about as you'd expect -- difficult during peak meal hours.

Conceptually, I really like the plate offerings and BYO salad/healthy plate idea, but the portion sizes really left a lot to be desired for the price. For $20 a plate, it was a really small bowl (super shallow), with a small piece of salmon, half an avocado, some cucumbers, and rice. The taste was fine, but nothing special -- the salmon was cooked well but didn't taste any miso at all. The rice was a tad overcooked but otherwise fine. All in all, it wasn't the most impactful nor filling meal I could have for $20. And with Mendocino right next door, I get way more bang for my buck going there. Probably won't be my first choice for a salad in the Pruneyard.