Korean Celebrity Chef Andrew Ahn Blends Tradition and Innovation at Maru, Hopson One
As shameless Beijing loyalists and fans of Korean food, we still get a little sad when we recall the closing of One Pot (formerly Ssam) a couple of years ago, headed by celebrity chef Andrew Ahn’s restaurant in the heart of Sanlitun. However, Sanlitun's loss appears to be Shuangjing's gain, as Ahn returns to the capital with his new creative modern takes on Korean cuisine in the form of Maru in Hopson One.
Maru, located on the sixth floor of the shopping mall, is tastefully decorated, using a palette and materials that give it a homely but contemporary feel – as Ahn explained to us, the word "Maru" in Korean means a living room, a place where family and friends get together and enjoy quality time. The menu puts a focus on quality and creativity, both attributes that is readily apparent even in Ahn's 15-minute Go, Fridge! TV show cooking sessions.
Maru's menu features classic Korean cuisine such as kim bap (Korean seaweed roll), jjigae (kimchi stew), noodles, and jeon (Korean-style pancake), as well as some more experimental dishes like a quinoa and shrimp salad, Maru's special garden salad where the vegetables “grow” after water is added, and fish and chips with deep-fried pickles paired with homemade pickled lotus and ginger. The caprese salad (RMB 58) made for a light start, featuring tomatoes soaked in five different types of marinade and paired with mozzarella cheese, chopped cauliflower, basil, arugula, and a drizzle of balsamic to bring out the sweetness and acidity.
For the mains, the restaurant's masterpiece may just be the Maru special grilled pork entrails (RMB 78), a dish which originates in the Korean city of Daegu and is presented here as the spilling of Ahn's aunt's secret family recipe. Each bite of sizzling pork is packed with crunch from the grill, and Ahn states that the trick to balancing the rich flavors is to add kiwi while the meat is cooking. The dish is served with a bowl of arugula to be wrapped around each piece, in a modern take on traditional Korean ssam (using leafy vegetables to wrap around meat). If you're not averse to alcohol, a shot of Korean soju washes each wrap down nicely.
The kimchi pancake (RMB 48) is also based off another traditional family recipe, this time courtesy chef Ahn’s mom and is made up of a thin pancake, homemade kimchi, and two kinds of pork for a flavorsome medley and beautifully crisp edges. Pair with bowls of banchan (Korean small dishes) for added spice and sourness between mouthfuls, each dish fermented for three days to give them welcome punchiness.
Other favorites include Anh’s special fried chicken (available in two flavors: soy garlic and chili), Korean-style spicy chicken with cheese, naengmyeon (Korean cold noodles, pictured at top), or jajangmyeon (Korean-style soy paste noodles).
And as much as we enjoyed the entrees and mains, this new venture does have a few wrinkles to iron out, most notably in the desserts, where even a creative dash of balsamic can't save the bland sweet potato cake.
Despite the heavy reliance on tweaked family recipes, Maru is not a traditional Korean restaurant. Ahn's imagination is able to push the boundaries of his national cuisine and, as the restaurant's name suggests, it's best enjoyed with a group of friends and family so you can indulge on the best Korean cuisine has to offer.
Maru
Daily 11.30am-10pm. 6/F, Hopson One, 21 Xidawang Lu, Chaoyang District (8777 8587)
觅坞：朝阳区广渠路西大望路21号合生汇6层
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Email: tracywang@thebeijinger.com
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Photos: He Jing, Tracy Wang
