Mark’s Score 8.6
When people think of Japanese cuisine two dishes come immediately to mind, sushi and ramen. One interesting fact about both dishes (as we know them today) is that they are fairly new inventions. The modern concept of sushi can be traced back to the early 1820s, Ramen is even younger, with the first ramen restaurants appearing in Yokohama’s Chinatown around 1910. Today both dishes are Japanese cultural icons.
Though I like both dishes, Ramen is my favorite. My work frequently brought me to Tokyo in the 1990s, and though sushi is very popular you find far more ramen and soba (the buckwheat version of ramen) restaurants than sushi restaurants. Sushi is expensive, even in Japan, so ramen and soba tend to be the everyday meals favored by Japanese “salarymen.”
Sushi de Kampi has a number of ramen and soba dishes but I have always thought of it as primarily a sushi restaurant. So, I was delighted when, in very short order, two ramen restaurants opened up in my neighborhood, Fuji Ramen and Marubeni Ramen.
Marubeni, has a very authentic Japanese vibe. First it is a small space and the interior design has a Japanese minimalist decor. The entrance has a small Japanese rock garden and is curtained, which is typical of Japanese restaurants. The walls are decorated with light wood paneling which is a common theme in upscale restaurants in Tokyo. The back wall with stenciled waves pays homage to Katsushika Hokusai, one of Japan’s most famous artists from the Edo Period. Hokusai’s waive paintings are especially famous.
Marubeni has been open since last summer. I have waited to review it because I wanted to sample the entire Japanese salaryman lunch repertoire; curry, katsu and ramen. I’ll start with the negative, I found their curry weak, watery, and disappointingly bland. I would not order it again. Their ramen and katsu were much better. Though at the start I thought their ramen dishes were a bit too salty. The katsu was cooked to perfection. My favorite ramen is the Miso Ramen, which includes noodles, corn, spring onions, sprouts and pork in miso soup. If you like garlic, try the Black Garlic Ramen. It is a love fest of garlic.
They also have takeout and it is worth doing takeout at least once if for no other reason than getting one of their very impressive canvas bags. I have ordered takeout from many restaurants over the years. Marubeni has the best (by far) takeout bags I have ever seen.
So, what is my conclusion, I have had better Japanese food, even here in Salisbury. But I have often said that dining out is more than merely eating. It is supposed to be an experience. Marubeni provides a very authentic Japanese dining experience and it is a worthy addition to the South Salisbury Blvd cuisine corridor. If you have never tried Japanese, Marubeni offers a very authentic introduction.
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