IITHACA, N.Y. — A West State Street dining staple is trading its noodles for traditional clay pots. Maru Ramen has officially rebranded as Maru Korea, the restaurant announced Friday, shifting its entire focus to authentic Korean cuisine.
The transition marks the end of the restaurant's ramen era at 512 W. State St. Owners Chris Kim and Soyong Lee said the decision to remove the Japanese-style noodle soups from the menu was driven by a desire to return to their culinary heritage.
"The change comes from a desire to get back to the roots of Korean cooking," Kim and Lee said in a joint statement. "We want to share the authentic flavors and techniques we grew up with."
The revamped menu highlights a variety of traditional comfort foods, led by several versions of Soon-du-bu, or tofu stew. Options include beef, kimchi, mushroom, and shrimp, as well as a "Budae" style featuring sausage and spam.
Other additions include beef and pork bulgogi, pork cutlets known as Maru Katsu, and mandu, which are Korean dumplings.
A centerpiece of the new brand is the restaurant's approach to rice. In a nod to traditional home cooking, the kitchen now serves rice cooked in individual clay pots. The owners said they use a custom blend of rice varieties specifically chosen to complement the spicy and fermented profiles of the stews.
While the loss of the signature ramen may come as a surprise to long-time patrons, the owners emphasized that the restaurant's staff and philosophy remain the same.
"We invite the community to come support Maru's next venture," the owners said. "A new menu and new cuisine await, but the spirit of our kitchen remains the same."
The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner service. Full menu details and updated operating hours are available on the business's website.
The name change comes with menu changes, removing ramen completely from the menu and focusing on traditional Korean cuisine.
Owners Chris Kim and Soyong Lee said the change comes from a desire to get back to the roots of Korean cooking.
“After 8 years of serving authentic ramen, we have decided to change our menu to focus less on carbohydrates and more on healthy protein in traditional Korean cooking, which is more in line with our native background. We have also noticed increased customer interest in lower-carb and higher-protein dishes in recent years,” said Kim and Lee.
“We are still serving our popular beef and pork bulgogi, which have been on our menu for the past 8 years, both are marinated and cooked individually in a skillet. We have also expanded our tofu dishes by offering tofu with a choice of meats cooked in individual clay pots, using tofu from a local handmade producer with locally grown soybeans. Our rice is also cooked individually in clay pots, using a custom blend of different rice varieties.”
Check out Maru Korea’s Facebook page here and website here for more information.