Maru of Summerlin

We decided to go to Maru because we both love Asian food, and I am fairly new to Korean cuisine. Maru bills itself as an authentic Korean and Japanese restaurant; it has an extensive menu, of which half is dedicated to Korean cuisine and half to Japanese dishes.

My companion is more familiar with Korean dishes than I am, and I followed his lead. My experience with Korean food is mostly limited to Kimchi. I am more familiar with (and in love with) Japanese food and have learned to prepare lots of dishes based on Japanese tradition (with a little soul thrown in from time to time of course).

He had phoned the restaurant earlier for information about their BYOB policy and corkage fees, and there seemed to be a scramble. They said they’d call back. After a short period of time, he received the answer on his phone that corkage is $15.00. Reasonable.

We arrived at the restaurant and were very impressed with the décor and the ambiance. The interior is sparkling clean and contemporary, with glass walls separating different sections one from the other. I spotted what appeared to be a banquet room behind some doors that were slightly ajar.

Before we were seated, we were asked about our preferences for food. My companion asked about the grill tables since he is familiar with Korean grilling, and we were seated. There are normal tables as well, and there’s a sushi bar. If you’re not familiar with the types of food, it can be a little daunting, but allow a certain amount of flexibility. The staff’s English-speaking skills are, um, *problematic,* but that lends a certain air authenticity.

We were seated at our grill table and the waitress guided us through the menu. We ordered Toro sashimi and Miso Salada (that’s how it’s spelled on the menu) as starters. The Miso dish is a combination of cucumbers, sea vegetables, mild Miso paste , sesame seeds, and white fish.

Our entrée was Korean – Sang Deung Shim, which is unmarinated Prime sirloin. At $33.99 it was reasonable for two people. The waitress lit the grill and while it was heating, she brought the Miso Salada. It was quite tasty, and while we were eating it, the preparations for the Sang Deung Shim arrived. A large round platter was presented, and it had paper-thin, beautiful slices of perfectly marbled beef, along with slices of onions and mushrooms.

Along with these items, there were traditional side dishes: Kimchi, Sea Pumpkin, Tofu, Bean Sprouts, Daikon, Glutinous Rice, and Lofu (?) Flower. All of these items were seasoned nicely, although because the Kimchi wasn’t very hot, I’m willing to guess that the foods were flavored to the American palate rather than the Korean one. I am not certain of the name of the flower because of the language problem; I’m not sure I heard the name correctly.

The waitress started the grilling of our food, and we enjoyed the side dishes. The marinade that was to be eaten with the beef, onions, and mushrooms was absolutely delicious. Made of sesame oil and simple seasonings, it was perfect with the meal.

Ordinarily, I’d be bragging about the wine that I brought. The wine was suitable for Asian cuisine , but it would have been more appropriate for Thai cuisine rather than Korean or Japanese dishes. It was a 2006 Schloss Vollrads Qualitätswein Rehingau-Riesling, a semi-dry Riesling I’ve had before and enjoyed. It has a glass closure (which elicited ooo’s and ahh’s from a couple of spectators), and while refreshing and delicious, I really could have had an Oregon Pinot Noir that would have paired better. The afore mentioned sesame oil seasoning for the beef completely overpowered the delicate Riesling. But that’s a “lessons learned” opportunity that I won’t repeat. This was a perfect example of how a beautiful wine could get lost under the weight of an inappropriate pairing.

Their wine list is small, but they do have a full bar. I can understand where there would not be an emphasis on wine because of the clashes in flavors. So for once, I won’t be having my regular rant about the prices and selections on the wine list.

The Toro arrived in the middle of our dinner which was disappointing, because while the portion was small, it was very fresh, rich, and delicious. The delicate taste of the Toro was lost in the varying flavors of the Korean food, and it would have been more appropriate for the beginning of the meal rather than in the middle, which is what we had planned.

The experience at Maru was very nice and definitely worth repeating.

Here are the good points and opportunities for improvement:

• Ambiance. The restaurant is beautiful and that makes for a relaxing environment.
• Maru is very clean. That’s so important to me!
• The dishes are flavorful to my palate.
• The service is first-class. We felt as if we were being doted on, and our every need was met. They even asked if we’d prefer forks! (The answer, by the way, was “no.” Asian dining = chopsticks only.)

Opportunities for improvement:

• Work on English with the servers. It’s important that they are able to communicate effectively with the customers.
• The menu is intimidating. Along with the Sushi rolls, there are over 120 separate items and several different styles of cuisine. I would recommend focusing on a couple of styles, simplifying the menu, and therefore make it easier for people to order and find their favorites.
• Sequencing. All appetizers need to arrive before the main courses!
• While the grilling was appreciated, I would have preferred to grill my own. Because we took our time eating, some of the meat became overly crispy. And as a carnivore’s carnivore, I would have preferred it with pink.
• The Korean appetizers are very expensive; for instance, the Haemul Pajun, the seafood and onion pancake, is $21.99. That’s the price of an entrée, and is offputting for those who’d like to try it but who don’t want to spend that much money for an appetizer. On the other hand, the $33.99 price for the Sang Deung Shim main course was ideal for two people.

Maru has only been open for about three months, and because of their newness, there’s a certain expectation that they’re still finding their “sea legs.” Their positive, friendly attitude, attention to detail, and desire to make sure that the customer’s dining experience is an enjoyable one make them a place to return once they’ve settled down and gotten past the “new” issues.

As an aside, my companion, Rod, is a brown belt in Tai Kwan Do. He met the owner, Master Kim - ostensibly to thank him for the wonderful service we received - who is a black belt. They exchanged greetings and I think he has a friend for life.

Maru is located at 2025 Village Center Drive in Summerlin, just a roundabout away from the Town Center exit of the Summerlin Parkway. Their phone number is (702) 360-6278.

Bon Appetit!

Sphere: Related Content