The first thing one notices when walking into Maru is the master chef chopping away at the sushi station, artfully arranging a colorful array of ocean-fresh fish, sticky rice, crisp cucumbers and chopped vegetables into mouth-watering rolls. This enticing scene gives the diner an accurate preview of the flavorful meal that awaits.
Tucked away in a row of restaurants on Burnet Road, Maru is a modest, hole-in-the-wall restaurant, but should certainly not be overlooked in favor of more mainstream sushi spots. Open since July 2006, this small Japanese eatery presents an atmosphere that is calming and impeccably clean, if somewhat bland and sparsely decorated. While the environment may leave something to be aesthetically desired, the lack of ambiance is more than made up for by the restaurant's prompt, courteous wait staff and creative menu, making it a great place to take friends.
Maru, which means "circle" in Japanese, boasts an impressive sushi selection, including sashimi and tempura, maki, nigiri and even customized rolls - all great choices for health nuts. There is a variety of tasty options for vegetarians as well, including scrumptious tofu-avocado rolls and seaweed salad.
The sushi lunch, with its simmering Miso soup, six pieces of California rolls and five pieces of salmon, white tuna, red snapper, yellowtail and tuna rolls, is well worth the $10.95 price tag. The fish and vegetables are fresh, and the California rolls, with their generous portion of creamy, chopped crab meat, stand out as some of the best on the market.
While it is best known for being a sushi hotspot, Maru's menu also offers a wide array of Japanese cuisine, including egg rolls, teriyaki seafood and meat, tempura, noodle bowls, bento boxes, barbecue ribs and more.
The price range is reasonable, ranging from $1.50 for a bowl of steaming, savory Miso soup to a generous sushi dinner complete with tempura, California rolls, soup, salad and rice for just under $20. Most of the lunch dishes are modestly priced from $8 to $10, and the dinners generally range from $14 to $18, a bargain for the quality and service received in return.
Formerly BYOB, Maru recently obtained its liquor license and now offers hot and cold sake, Japanese beer and chardonnay and merlot by the glass. For an Eastern take on dessert, check out their green tea and red bean ice creams.
Sure to please sashimi aficionados and the raw fish-wary alike, Maru is located just a short drive from campus at 4636 Burnet Rd. It is open Monday through Saturday for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and for dinner from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
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