oh no
they’re neither stranded
not shipwrecked
they’re neither trapped
not isolated
they’re not marooned
but they’re all clad
in a maroon kasaya
and a genuine, subtle smile
that hid with the the click
dis-appearing in the depths
of their kind and simple
hearts
counting me
stranger no more
but a friend.
Marroo doesn't look like much from the outside, but its a nice korean restaurant located in what could be the basement of the Little Collins Street apartments.
The interior looks similar to your average Korean BBQ restaurants, featuring that telltale hanging exhausts above each table, but has a fancier feel due to the large bar visible as soon as you walk in.
The restaurant was pretty busy this afternoon during the lunch period. I guess we weren't the only ones hoping for a quick lunch.
The main dishes actually arrived before these ban-chan entrees did. Actually, we had to ask about them because they hadn't arrived and we weren't too sure if they were only offered to the diners ordering particular dishes.
The cold ban-chan options today were;
- Korean Macaroni Salad // chewy and a bit bland with a creamy sauce
- Gaji Bokkeum (stir-fried eggplant) // tasty with only a mild spice
- Eomuk Bokkeum (stir-fried fish cake) // tasty, but nothing too special
Spicy Seafood Hot Pot
This hot pot arrived sizzling and hissing as it arrived on the table. There was a good variety of seafood toppings, cooked well and coated in a delicious spicy sauce. The rice was nice and crunchy on the sides where they were touching the sizzling bowl.
Crispy Crunchy Fried Chicken in Hot Pot
The fried chicken was anything BUT crunchy, as described in the menu, but it was succulent and coated in a deliciously sweet chilli sauce. The rice was covered in that same delicious sauce, but my stone bowl was only warm, so there was no 'hot pot' sizzling going on here.
The staff were friendly, but the service left much to be desired. The dishes were tasty and very reasonably priced. I noticed they offer a BBQ buffet during the evenings - definitely a good reason for a second visit.
