Even though this may be my first time reviewing a Mitsuwa, there shouldn't be any doubt that they're one of my favorite markets. At the very least, it has been my favorite chain of Japanese markets, but it stinks how they have just one location in the Bay Area! In fact, across my limited number of trips to SoCal, I've already visited more locations down here than back at home and I have to say - this location may be the newest, but it's also my least favorite one I've been to.
Like pretty much every other Mitsuwa I've been to, this location has a cute little food court with a half dozen or so eateries offering a variety of food options - from ramen, udon, and curry rice plates to onigiri, matcha, and Japanese sweets. As for the market, it has all of the usual offerings you would expect - a solid selection of fresh produce, meats, seafood, frozen foods, pantry staples, alcohol, snacks, and sections of prepared foods and sushi to choose from. What's more, as a whole, everything here felt so new and clean (which makes sense in hindsight, as it apparently opened only back in November).
With all of that having been said, though, it's weird to me how this place still felt a bit...lacking. While you can find a decent mix of things to eat at their food court, it's pretty much limited to three eateries, so don't be surprised to see lines when it's busy. Also, despite how new it is, the market feels smaller than other Mitsuwas I've been to. That's not inherently bad, but pickings felt relatively slim for certain meats and produce we were looking for, as well as their bento boxes and sushi. Granted, it probably didn't help that we were here on a Sunday and the place was packed with customers, but it's not like we stopped in towards the end of the day either.
All in all, while I definitely think there are plenty of positives about this location, I'd be lying if I said I was as impressed with this one as I was by their location in Costa Mesa. It's definitely nice how new it is and I would never be opposed to going to any Mitsuwa, but if I lived out this way, it'd be tough not to know whether I'll be able to get everything I need here or if I'll also need to stop off somewhere else.
THREE AND A HALF STARS rounded down for now. read more