A close-up detail of the signature sauerkraut fish at Tai Er Sichuan Cuisine in San Mateo, Calif., on Sept. 30, 2025.

A global Chinese chain restaurant is about to open only its second Bay Area spot — this time in a popular South Bay mall.

Tai Er Sichuan Cuisine is set to have its grand opening at the Westfield Valley Fair mall during the week of May 1, according to a news release, which would make it the second full-service Tai Er restaurant to open in the U.S. It is already in a soft opening phase, according to the mall’s website. The Tai Er brand, which has over 500 restaurants worldwide, is most known for its suan cai yu — a sauerkraut fish soup with pork bone broth, pickled radish and sweet potato noodles. The bestseller is so popular that the company sells more than 20 million bowls annually,........

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