Photo by Sarah Gilliland.
Chef Abhi Sainju recently opened Maro in Lane Parke. Sainju also owns Abhi restaurant in Mountain Brook.
Birmingham chef Abhi Sainju recently opened his new restaurant, Maro, in Lane Parke.
Located at 361 Rele Street, Maro will primarily focus on the fast-casual lunch crowd, serving Asian-inspired dishes such as poke bowls, beef bulgogi, coconut soup and belly butt pork adobo, a Filipino dish served on a bed of warm jasmine rice.
The drink menu includes kombuchas, Thai and green teas, sakes and other alcoholic and soft drinks.
“My wife is Filipino, and I am from Nepal. The food is like a fusion of Asian cuisines. Whatever I grew up eating, I like, but I still test it with my friends and make them my guinea pigs, especially if they’re from Alabama,” he said.
Maro is just two minutes away from Sainju’s other restaurant in Mountain Brook Village, Abhi Eatery + Bar, which serves sushi and Nepalese-inspired dishes. Abhi Eatery + Bar opened in December 2019, but Sainju closed the first location at The Summit last year.
When asked why he chose the Lane Parke location for his new concept, Sainju said that he loves Mountain Brook.
“People thank me for being here and I want to say, ‘No, thank you for coming to my restaurant!’ he said. “They supported me through the pandemic so I could support my staff. I just love it here.”
Sainju said he’s committed to using locally sourced ingredients and generous servings to ensure top-notch quality on the menu. Maro seeks to fill a gap in the dining options available in Mountain Brook with its Asian-inspired dishes.
“I used to work in restaurants before I had my own,” Sainju said. “People would come in and say, ‘I only have 45 minutes,’ or ‘I only have 30 minutes,’ for lunch. You can still come here. You can order online, the food will be ready by the time you get here and you can be gone. You don’t have to go to the drive-thru.”
Sainju said a hallmark of his approach to restaurant design is creating a comfortable atmosphere with elegant decor. With Maro, Sainju hopes to build on the success of Abhi Eatery + Bar and establish himself as a leader in the city’s culinary scene.
“I’m going to learn from here first but definitely want to put Maro in other locations,” Sainju said.
Maro is open for lunch and dinner from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For information, visit instagram.com/maro_bham.
