Sushi MARU — Restaurant in San Diego

P.S. I suck at taking photos so please allow my words to give you a description. Apologies for the length in advance.

As someone who is from Japan and has dined at the finest sushi restaurants in Japan, sushi maru was a serious eye opener.

I saw omakase in America as an overpriced experience in many other restaurants. I cannot say the same for Sushi maru.

It was a well thought 15 dish course with sashimi, nigiri, warm dishes and soup. Some of my personal favorites were the torched Nodoguro with sea salt, crab with miso (crab brain), and their grade A Uni from San Diego that left a sweet taste in my mouth.

The starters came in two parts. The first one was the cod egg in dashi with myoga ginger and green onions. This was a refreshing starting dish as the cod egg melts in your mouth with a great dashi after taste. The second part was the hairy crab with cucumber and mozuku with tosa vinegar. The rich flavor of the crab paired with the refreshing vinegar cleansed my palette for the next dish.

The appetizer was a plate full of joy. It consisted of bluefin chutoro and kasugodai sashimi, cooked oysters marinated in olive oil, and baby squid in miso vinegar sauce. The star of the show in my opinion was the oysters. The aroma of olive oil paired with the buttery texture of the oysters tasted amazing. The wasabi is from Shizuoka prefecture, which had a small kick to it with a sweet aftertaste. It harmonized well with the fatty bluefin toro.

After the wonderful appetizers, the nigiri show started.

My favorite nigiri for the first portion of nigiris was the Rosy Seabass (Nodoguro). There are not many sushi places that carry this fish so it was a pleasant surprise.

After 6 rounds of different nigiris, Maru prepared the first warm dish. It was poached cod with crab dashi. The deep flavor of the cod tasted great with the thick crab dashi.

Maru then continued to amaze me with his nigiris. In this portion of the course, my personal favorites were the Sea Urchin and the Spanish mackerel (Aji). I already mentioned the sea urchin above, but the Spanish mackerel took me by surprise. The Aji I had at Maru was phenomenal as the surface shined bright and the texture was smooth and tender. I enjoyed every bite of that.

Maru also served his scallops in a manner not many other sushi restaurants would. He utilized a method called Kobijime where he put the scallops in between Kombu (Japanese seaweed) and let the flavor seep into the flesh. The subtle flavor of the Kombu in the scallops was an absolute masterpiece.

He then moved onto the final portion of nigiris. First he brought out Awabi (abalone) which he also used a sauce from the abalone’s liver. The liver sauce left a bitter yet umami flavor in my mouth.

The Ikura was served in a bowl on top of a ball of sushi rice and some wasabi on top. I felt each Ikura pop in my mouth and the flavor of soy sauce and fresh salmon roe flooded my tastebuds.

He also served miso soup (mixture of red and white miso paste) with some crab flesh. The miso soup at the end felt like a warm hug and definitely was a great way to end the course…. Or that’s what I thought. Maru surprised the crowd with a homemade panna cotta made from rum as dessert. A hint of mint, strawberry, and blackberries were added to the top, which added some sourness to the sweet panna cotta.There was no better way to end the course.

In hindsight, sushi Maru offers the closest thing to an authentic Japanese omakase experience in San Diego. The atmosphere is amazing and the staff are all attentive and communicative. Maru himself is a very laid back individual and will give you a homely vibe at his restaurant. Sushi Maru is not only a place for great food, but also for human interaction one cannot get at any restaurant.

I will guarantee that you will leave the restaurant with a happy stomach, big smile, and most importantly, a warm heart.

I truly recommend getting a reservation before the word spreads. It is safe to say I am blessed to have come across such...

What an honor and a privilege to be living in San Diego having not only amazing weather, but so many great omakase experiences. The city is definitely spoiled. San Diego has different levels of omakase. Each one has their own unique story and journey. Both in the food and location. Sushi Maru is no different. But this omakase is not the same as the rest

Kokoro may not have a Michelin star, but this warm place has won my heart. Soichi sets the bar for omakase. They are the star in San Diego. Everyone and their mother knows Soichi. But, a jewel has emerged in San Diego. Sushi Maru is that jewel

Relatively new, Sushi Maru has to be one of the most intimate and high end omakase in San Diego. You’ve probably walked by the front door and missed the small Sushi Maru sign on third ave. Inside is a simple yet minimal concept. About 10 seats at the bar. As you sit, you are on the same level as the prep table. You can see the sharp Japanese knives and a treasure box of the finest cuts of fish at hand level. There is no barrier between us and the prep table. This makes us a lot closer and more intimate to the food and chef

Chef Maru warmly greets us as we sit. We make small talk as more guests come in. The wait staff are absolutely professional and meticulous. Their attire clean and pressed. Shirts are so clean and sharp that I could have gotten a paper cut if I stood too close. We are offered the drink menu and the staff suggest that everything goes well with tonight’s menu

As the last guest arrives, chef grabs our attention and thanks us for coming. He is so gracious to us for being his guests. The menu starts with a starter then an appetizer. Then 6 pieces of nigiri. He takes a break from the nigiri, gives a warm bowl, and continues with 4 more pieces of nigiri. A warm dish is served again, followed by 4 final pieces of nigiri. A bowl of soup is given right before dessert. Chef tells us that in Japan, soup is given last. To wash down the dinner before dessert

The menu is the summer menu and it did not disappoint. The pieces represented what summer means. Light and refreshing. The otoro has to be the fattiest and most buttery otoro i have ever had. The sea bass had this hint of ocean brine. The hairy crab is a nice surprise on the menu. So light but full of flavor. He even brought out a whole hairy crab to show us what it looked like. The scallop is so sweet. The fresh wasabi accented those sweet and light flavors perfectly. What really made this summer menu was the simmered vegetable soup. He sourced the veggies (and hand picked them) from a Chino Farms. The carrot and potato is so light and delicate and only simmered in dashi and sake. But has that earthy organic flavor. So simple. Delicious and warm like summer. I could see and feel the farm after eating the soup. At the end, chef did offer if we wanted to try any of the pieces again. He offered off menu pieces also. However, there is an extra charge. There is no official Al a carte menu. But chef obliged to make whatever we wanted to have

The vibe overall was serene. The guests shared small talk with each other but it was not too social. We all had our commonalities and differences in life. But omakase brought us together. We kept our focus on chef and the pieces. It felt harmonious. Everything was amazing and perfect. Omakase is a work of art. More than just food. It’s life. Chef shows us his life in every piece. The detail. His story. His craftsmanship and ingenuity emanate

We asked chef about his personal life and how he got to stand here at sushi Maru in front of us. His story is like many other chefs. Wanting to tell their own omakase story. Wanting to hold the hearts of the people. To have their own star. What chef has at sushi...

I haven't had much sushi in San Diego but this has to be one of the best sushi and omakase experiences and meals you will ever eat in SD.

Chef Maru is an absolute gem of a human being, chef, and curator of all things sushi and fine dining. Yet he is not cocky, he is not stuck up or snobby, and he is not fake. He is the real deal, genuine, humble, joyful, and amazing chef you should and would expect at any restaurant.

And not only is theChef absolutely outstanding, but so are his staff. Each and every person makes this experience so much better and incredible that the meal isn't complete without them.

All the sushi was incredible. The fish was so tasty, fresh, unique, and delicious, while the rice was perfect in every piece and with every bite.

The side dishes were unique, intriguing, and sometimes even mind blowing.

Even the most simplest of dishes like the miso soup was beyond anything I found in California and rivals that of the most unique options in Japan.

If you are not one to engage with the chefs and staff, if you are not one to appreciate all that goes into this type of meal, from the selection of ingredients to the combination of flavors and the final execution before it is served in front of you and carried into your mouth - then don't bother dining here or anywhere similar. This meal is not complicated or confusing. It is simply true to who and what Maru is meant to be and what Maru is bringing to the San...