2008 Woodie Awards
Restaurant Review: Maru
Kelsea Wilks and Mike Fitzgerald
Issue date: 2/16/07 Section: Campus Life
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Sushi and bamboo are unavoidable in Hoboken. With a Japanese restaurant located pretty much every other block, we found ourselves at a small Japanese restaurant yet again. Maru was the destination of choice. Mike and Kelsea had heard friends speak well of their experiences at Maru, so we decided to give the place a try.
Maru is located on Washington between 2nd and 3rd, although if you are not in the mood to walk, they do deliver. The décor was cozy and typical of most Japanese restaurants in Hoboken. Large, white, paper ball lights hung from the low ceiling over wooded tables and chairs. A small, raised Japanese garden lined the wall opposite our table. The garden was a pleasant variation from the over-used fish tank decoration, which never did seem quite right as an accompaniment to sushi. The sushi bar was in the back of the room, giving the restaurant and appearance similar to Robangi, but slightly fancier and less crowded.
As we walked into the restaurant, we paused to read the special rolls of the day. Kelsea's heart was immediately set on the Volcano Roll. The Volcano Roll is tempura (deep fried) shrimp and spicy tuna wrapped in rice and drizzled with a mayonnaise based sauce similar to thousand island dressing. After perusing the menu, the Volcano Roll still stood out as the best option and that is what Kelsea ordered. When the roll was served, it came arranged in the shape of a volcano with tempura flakes spewing out of the center. The Volcano Roll was tasty and probably a good choice for someone new to the sushi scene. Kelsea thought the sauce was too heavy on the mayonnaise and took away from the flavor of the roll. Kelsea also had an appetizer called Shumai. Shumai is steamed shrimp enclosed in a noodle sack. The Shumai was delicious and was served with an equally well prepared thin sauce similar to soy sauce, but not as salty. The Shumai appetizer is a small appetizer and not the best for sharing.
Mike started with a spicy salmon avocado roll and decided on an entrée of Chilean Sea Bass accompanied by a California Roll. For those of you who do not know, a California Roll is a popular sushi roll that is also a good choice for sushi novices since none of the ingredients are scary. Maru's California Roll consisted of fake crab meat and generous amounts of avocado surrounded by sticky rice. Both sushi rolls were good, however nothing out of the ordinary. The fish was fresh and the presentation was quite plain. The sea bass was served as just a filet on a plate with garnish. The fish was prepared fine, however it lacked a distinct flavor.
Maru is located on Washington between 2nd and 3rd, although if you are not in the mood to walk, they do deliver. The décor was cozy and typical of most Japanese restaurants in Hoboken. Large, white, paper ball lights hung from the low ceiling over wooded tables and chairs. A small, raised Japanese garden lined the wall opposite our table. The garden was a pleasant variation from the over-used fish tank decoration, which never did seem quite right as an accompaniment to sushi. The sushi bar was in the back of the room, giving the restaurant and appearance similar to Robangi, but slightly fancier and less crowded.
As we walked into the restaurant, we paused to read the special rolls of the day. Kelsea's heart was immediately set on the Volcano Roll. The Volcano Roll is tempura (deep fried) shrimp and spicy tuna wrapped in rice and drizzled with a mayonnaise based sauce similar to thousand island dressing. After perusing the menu, the Volcano Roll still stood out as the best option and that is what Kelsea ordered. When the roll was served, it came arranged in the shape of a volcano with tempura flakes spewing out of the center. The Volcano Roll was tasty and probably a good choice for someone new to the sushi scene. Kelsea thought the sauce was too heavy on the mayonnaise and took away from the flavor of the roll. Kelsea also had an appetizer called Shumai. Shumai is steamed shrimp enclosed in a noodle sack. The Shumai was delicious and was served with an equally well prepared thin sauce similar to soy sauce, but not as salty. The Shumai appetizer is a small appetizer and not the best for sharing.
Mike started with a spicy salmon avocado roll and decided on an entrée of Chilean Sea Bass accompanied by a California Roll. For those of you who do not know, a California Roll is a popular sushi roll that is also a good choice for sushi novices since none of the ingredients are scary. Maru's California Roll consisted of fake crab meat and generous amounts of avocado surrounded by sticky rice. Both sushi rolls were good, however nothing out of the ordinary. The fish was fresh and the presentation was quite plain. The sea bass was served as just a filet on a plate with garnish. The fish was prepared fine, however it lacked a distinct flavor.
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