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| - TL;DR (out of 5):
Located in a quaint strip mall shop in a rather secluded area of SW Champaign, San Maru offers classic, simple Korean dishes. A great introduction to authentic Korean cuisine, the food here really feels like a warm embrace into someone's home. Their bossam, seafood pancakes, and dduokgaegi are things you won't find at other common spots in CU and are made wonderfully. Although you'll probably spend more here compared to other Korean places in town, the extra few bucks will definitely be worth it.
Food: 4
Atmosphere: 4
Price: 4
Service: 3
Decor: 3
I was first introduced to San Maru by a friend who works in the area when they first opened and, to be honest, was kind of reluctant to visit due to its location in a relatively sparse area of Champaign. I walked into the relatively clean, modern, and simplistically decorated shop and was still (although baseless) reluctant about the quality of the place.
My friend ordered the Bibimbop and I ordered the Seolleong-Tang. Naturally, the meal came with an assortment of banchan (Korean side dishes), which was also very straightforward and prepared well. The bibimbop had great flavors and was pretty basic, although executed perfectly. I'd never tried seolleong tang (a beef bone soup with brisket and scallions), but wanted to try something new. It was... pleasant? It had almost like a milky-ness to the flavor that I wasn't expecting, and I wouldn't say it's overly flavorful, but it had its subtle nuances that kind of grew on me as I worked my way through it. The brisket was cooked perfectly and melted in my mouth. Not something I would recommend to people unless they're looking for something really different/new.
Over my next few visits, I got to try their bossam, seafood pancakes, and an assortment of other things (I think they've added to their menu over time, or else I would've ordered those during my first visit), and everything has always just been simple, classic, and delicious - nothing super fancy, but made with quality ingredients and as traditional methods as realistically possible.
If you like Korean food and frequent places like A-Ri-Rang or Woori-Jib (or Spoon house for something other than tacos or burritos) on campus, take a drive out to San Maru for something more authentic - something made with a little more flavor and a whole lotta' love.
Bibimbop: $10
Seolleong-Tang: $9
Bossam: $24
Seafood Pancakes: $12
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