By now you’re probably fairly familiar with my desire to EAT ALL THE FOOD, especially food that I can Metro to. So when I heard that Uncle Tetsu‘s first mainland U.S. store was open in Arcadia, I had to go check it out.

For those of you who don’t keep up with foodie culture, Uncle Tetsu sells Japanese Cheesecakes, which “combine the richness of American cheesecakes with the lightness of French soufflés.” The store in Arcadia is located at the Westfield Santa Anita mall, also home to Din Tai Fung and other great eateries (so if cheesecake is not your thing there are plenty of options, from crêpes to Korean BBQ to sushi).

The Westfield Santa Anita mall is accessible from the Gold Line Arcadia Station. You could technically walk, but I definitely do not recommend this option — and this is coming from the person who prefers to walk everywhere. The walk is nearly 2 miles and there’s no shade. You’re pretty much circling barren parking lot wastelands.

The infinitely better option is the Arcadia Transit Green Line Bus, which connects Arcadia Station to Santa Anita Park, the Westfield Santa Anita and the L.A. County Arboretum. Buses run every 12 to 15 minutes, and the ride to the mall is just five minutes. Fare is $.50 and they don’t accept TAP, so you’ll need to have cash ready. The fare comes with a free transfer though, which you can use on another Arcadia Transit line or on your trip back to the Gold Line.

Edit: A Source reader brings up Metro Bus 79 as another option that requires no transfer fare! 🙂

At the mall, the bus drops off and picks up at the same location near the Promenade. From there just follow the signs to Uncle Tetsu in Food Alley, which is located on level two. (It’s near the Wing Hop Fung.) Or you can follow the line of people. Because Uncle Tetsu only opened recently, lines can get pretty long. It doesn’t help that all of their cheesecakes are freshly baked. Currently they churn out a dozen every fifteen minutes, and each person in line is allowed to buy one cake.

Are the cakes worth it? Well, I am personally a huge fan. I think Uncle Tetsu’s cheesecakes are light, creamy yet fluffy, and not overpoweringly sweet. It pairs well with tea or coffee. And while it may not require a dedicated trip to acquire a Japanese Cheesecake (unless you are me), if you’re planning a trip to the mall anyway, I think you should definitely make an effort to try it.

So: are you going to get cake from Uncle Tetsu? Have you tried Arcadia Transit to visit the Westfield Santa Anita mall? Is food going to make hanging out at the mall cool again? Let me know in the comments!

A photo posted by 安nna (@annanotation) on Sep 16, 2016 at 6:05pm PDT