When I found out that a takoyaki joint was opening up in Philly, I was positively giddy. Maru Global finally opened in early February. It’s primarily a take-out joint. They sell various types of takoyaki, noodles, rice bowls, bento boxes, and some salads.
Here’s the owner making takoyaki. What is takoyaki? It’s a round ball of batter, filled with diced octopus and some veggies, topped with sauce, garnish, and bonito shavings. At least that’s the traditional takoyaki. Maru also serves other flavors, including philly cheesesteak, pizza, bbq, and corn and salsa verde. I’m not quite ready to try those types yet. These balls are made on special takoyaki pans, which are half-sphere molds, and the batter is placed in the pan, and you have to flip the batter to form the ball. It’s pretty cool to watch.

Along with traditional takoyaki, H/A got some yakisoba with chicken. Yakisoba is a noodle stir fry dish, which typically has cabbage and your choice of meat, in a special yakisoba sauce. It’s definitely savory.
As for me, I got a curry bowl, because I have a thing for japanese style curry. Ok, so how was the food? I wish I could say it was great, but alas, it was just ok. The takoyaki were… too mushy. The balls wouldn’t stay balls. You should be able to stab your ball with the toothpick, and it should stay together, and you should be able to pop it in your mouth. But these balls, well these weren’t stabbable. They just kind of fell apart. There was no firmness of the outside of these balls. They were just mushy and gushy. I just wasn’t feeling how “uncooked” they seemed. Taste wise, they were ok. The curry? That was ok too. I got beef curry and it had one thumb-sized piece of beef in it. That was it. There was also potato and carrot, but the beef was severely lacking. I wasn’t impressed. The yakisoba wasn’t the best either. It was just ok as well. The takoyaki at yakitori boy are better, and the curry at maido is better. I was hoping to like everything, and while I did like it, there are other spots in philly that do it better. It was particularly disappointing because this place is a takoyaki joint! Oh sadness.
They sell random japanese snacks as well. We got into a light conversation with the owner, and he’s super nice. I really hope that the food improves because while the food is ok, if it gets better, I would totally love this place. The prices are incredibly reasonable and you will be full. So let’s just hope they get through the growing pains!

Over the weekend of the first snowpocalypse of 2010, I actually wasn’t at home to witness it. Instead, I was in the poconos, where they got about 2″ of snow, as opposed to the 20+” laid down at home. While there, we were treated to some fine home cooked meals. For saturday brunch, we had eggs benedict that M made. How come whenever I try to make poached eggs it turns into a mess, but when M makes them, they’re perfect?

After snowboarding in mostly artificially created snow, we had some appetizers, including cheese and crackers. Everyone was particularly fond of the triple cream blue cheese from trader joe’s. I don’t like stinky cheese of any kind, so I stayed away from it. And who doesn’t like ritz crackers?

Also had some chips and green salsa. These chips tasted like they were guacamole flavored or something? Delicious!

For dinner, we had some of this belgian onion and pepper soup.  It had been made awhile back and the pepper had been stewing for awhile, so it was extremely peppery. Tasty, but peppery.

The main course was a chili. This was also tasty, but a bit on the spicy side. I was fine with the spice, but had to take my time with this. It ended up being too spicy for E, poor thing. She ended up eating a bunch of salad instead. D had added a whole can of jalapenos to this, and man, the hotness had been infused through and through. The sour cream was necessary to cut it, and also, because it just tastes darn good with chili. It was a fun weekend away!

For the season premiere of the final season of Lost, R held a party, and we all had to bring something to eat, Lost related. H/A brought this cake, that he had somebody make. How cute is this? It’s the island, and it even has a little oceanic plane and jughead on it. It was a chocolate cake, and quite delicious! The sand? Not cookie crumbs, instead, colored sugar.
I was lazy, so I just brought my usual bean and white corn salsa dip. But I jazzed it up by putting it in a pyrex with a dharma kitchen logo on it. And hence, my dharma dip.
B brought these shrimp, which were marinated with tequila. He called these shrimp hugo.
R provided us with many additional eats, in addition to hosting. This was a mango, mozzarella, basil, with white balsamic salad. So tropical, yet italian, and awesome. Easy too!
For one of the entrees, R made these sloppy jacks. It was healthy too, made with ground turkey from a weight watchers recipe.
The other entree was shrimp kabobs. But instead of bothering to kabob them, she just grilled the pieces on the george foreman. Again, healthy! We have grilled peppers and onions and the grilled shrimp and peaches, which were glazed with lawry’s hawaiian marinade. So simple and tasty!
E made these Lost cookies… in the shapes of polar bears and planes. The planes even had the numbers on them. Yes, we’re all total Lost nerds.
R also made cups of dirt. Surely, when deserted on an island, you would have to resort to eating dirt and worms. See you in another life, brutha, or at the Lost finale party!