Husband, wife team keeps Maru fresh, clean

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Not a sushi eater? Don’t worry. Robert M. Song, owner of Maru Sushi & Grill, 5100 Marsh Road, has some comforting words.

“We are very friendly to nonsushi eaters,” Song said. “We have many steak, chicken and salad items as well for those who are not quite as used to sushi.”

But Maru’s charm is beyond food. Song, born in South Korea but raised in Chicago, envisioned a sushi restaurant with an uncomplicated, delicate cuisine — one that really cared about each dish. Opened in April, the restaurant is simple yet intimate in design, with a cream and matte ink palette and a soft, firefly lighting. Upon entrance, patrons are immediately greeted by smiling faces, the trickling sound of tickled ivories and a refreshingly clean feeling. An MSU alumnus, Song has his wife, Kelly Hong, to thank for the interior design.

“I love modern and contemporary interior, but I always think that tradition is very important,” Hong, a native of Thailand, said. “Whether it’s ancient art or coming from different backgrounds, I always like to mix that in.”

The two, who were both born in South Korea, met as undergraduates at MSU in 1996.

“Her phone number was only a digit different than mine at the time,” Song said. “That was a sign from God that we’re a match made in heaven.”

Hong and Song dated throughout their college days at MSU, until Hong graduated and moved to San Francisco to work as an interior designer.

Song, who graduated from MSU in 1998, oversees the day-to-day operations of Maru, while Hong, who graduated in 2000, handles the graphic design in addition to the interior decor. Hong, who received her master’s from MSU, now instructs two interior design courses at MSU.

As for Song, he feels giving back to East Lansing is a given.

“I consider East Lansing my hometown and MSU ‘my school,’” Song said. “Giving back to who I owe is only a natural thing.”

Song notes creativity and honesty as integral parts in being successful. Hong believes planning is key.

“We planned a lot by traveling,” Hong said. “We traveled a lot. We went to the East Coast and West Coast, New Mexico and whenever we go to different places, we search a lot. We go into different restaurants to study the interior space and the food.”

The two have created something unseen at many other sushi places: a restaurant that cares about the ingredient and the customer.

“We put in time and effort in our food,” Song said. “We use organic baby greens to give that extra crisp freshness, pure sea salt in our organic edamame to give the balanced saltiness and fresh fruits that accompany many of our dishes, just to give a few examples.”

Kasey Mahoney, a comparative cultures and politics senior, chooses Maru whenever she’s in the sushi mood.

“It’s a little quieter than all of the other places and the staff is much better,” Mahoney said.

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