San Maru, a new restaurant located at the Crossing, has announced it will be opening today, March 5th, and celebrating their grand opening on March 12th. Check out the website and the press release below.
Sisters from Korea Bringing Authentic Korean Cuisine to Central Illinois
New restaurant San Maru set to soft open on March 10 and hold a Grand Opening on March 12 in Champaign
CHAMPAIGN, IL—Inspired by the food they enjoyed while growing up in South Korea, sisters Shinhee Cho and Deni Jung of Champaign are teaming up as co-owners of new restaurant San Maru. Located at The Village at the Crossing at 2504 Village Green Place and opening on March 10, San Maru will boast a combination of Korean and American cuisine with fresh ingredients as well as delectable desserts.
Head chef Jung was previously the head chef and co-owner of Dan the Man, a restaurant in Washington, DC. Younger sister Cho, who will run the business side of San Maru, earned a Special Education degree from South Korea and a Master’s in Family Service from Eastern Illinois University. While their parents are both from North Korea, the sisters grew up in South Korea and their style of cooking has been greatly influenced by their mother and their grandmother, who was invited on special occasions to cook in the imperial kitchen of the last few kings of the Chosun dynasty.
“Every holiday it was an important part of our family’s tradition to create delicious specialties such as dumplings and veggie pancakes and enjoy these treats with our neighbors,” says Jung. Through these influences, San Maru hopes to share the sisters’ traditions and serve family-inspired recipes like their homemade dumplings from scratch. The restaurant will also offer numerous lunch combinations such as the Beng Beng Chicken Bowl, which consists of deep fried chicken topped with a special house sauce and served with a side of soup and salad.
Cho says the opportunity to work with her sister makes San Maru an exciting opportunity. “Being a Korean immigrant, I don’t have a lot of close family around the area,” she says. “My sister is not only my best friend and mentor, she was always like a second mother to me.” One special feature of San Maru will be a delivery service for families who have trouble finding time to make lunches for their children in school. Customers who order by Friday for the following week will have their food delivered by lunch time on the days they choose.
During its grand opening day on March 12, San Maru will be providing free samples of handmade dumplings and the Beng Beng Chicken from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. There will also be an opportunity for customers to sign up and try pre-ordered lunches. “We are working together as sisters to serve the entire community and provide a large selection of healthy Korean-American food,” says Jung. “As mothers we want to provide the same food we provide our children.”
San Maru, which means Hill Top, will be open Mondays through Saturdays from 11am to 8:30pm.
Top photo from their website.
