Go and have a ball at Maru Global

Working man's food - it has to be good on the go, filling and cheap. Philly has its cheesesteaks, of course, Chicago its deep-dish pizza and Tokyo the takoyaki.

That's "tako" meaning octopus plus "yaki" for grill: pieces of octopus-flavor balls of crepe-like dough that are served with a sweet sauce that has notes of plum, apricot and just a hint of vinegar and clove. A garnish of bonito-fish flakes adds to the aromatic quality.

Philadelphia now has its own version of this street food - Maru Global, on 10th Street near Locust.

On Feb. 1, Tokyo native Ryo Igarashi and his wife, Nicole, opened this small cafe that offers takeout, delivery or casual eat-in. They chose the name "Maru" because it encompasses several meanings, including satisfaction, unity and circle - all appropriate if you are making balls seasoned with international flavors.

Chef Igarashi worked most recently at Distrito and Amada. Clearly, that is a good background to have if you are a start-up with a food that lends itself to fusion and creating a system for future expansion.

Takoyaki are labor intensive and, just as in a sushi bar, they require individual crafting of each morsel and attention to detail. The batter is similar to crepes, with the addition of yamaimo (Japanese Mountain potato) that adds viscosity.

You can peer over the counter and watch your takoyaki being made. It's a tricky process to heat the cast iron mold to the perfect temperature, which cooks the egg batter enough to keep it pliable so that the mixture can be simultaneously rotated and rolled with skewers to form a light, thoroughly cooked ball.

Maru Balls are served in a paper boat and come in three quantities, minimum of six per flavor: a small order of 6 is $3.25, large order of 12 is $6.50 and a party tray of 50 is $25.)

The Traditional Octopus might not be for everyone, as the flavors are intense and strange to American tastebuds. Give it a try, though, because the flavor notes come together perfectly, even if on a different scale than our Western palates are used to.

A more common blend of flavors is the Pizza, a mix of mozzarella, red gravy and parmesan. It also comes with a vegan version made with a nondairy "mozzarella" and basil coulis tomato sauce.

The Cheesesteak is a brilliant take on the city's signature sandwich. The crepe batter melts into the caramelized onions, cheddar béchamel sauce and meat. The slight texture of a sprinkle of sesame seed adds a nice contrast.

On the Mexican side, the Corn and Salsa Verde ($5.99 for 6) brings together cornmeal as the dough, Mexican cheese and a piquant salsa.

Walt's Crab Cake Balls ($7.99) were my only disappointment because of the quality of the crabmeat. It's a shame because Nicole Igarashi grew up in her family's Philadelphia institution, Walt's King of Crab. Also, the smaller balls didn't quite seem to work as "cakes."

However, the accompanying French fries were divine - hand-cut, seasoned with a sprinkling of nori seaweed and served with a spicy mayo. They are made to order, so eat these right there as each second away from the fryer is perfection lost.

The takoyaki may be considered snack food, but they are filling. Still, if you hunger for something a little more substantial the Yakisoba Ramen Noodles ($5.99, choice of chicken, shrimp, tofu or sirloin; deluxe with shrimp, chicken and sirloin for $6.99) fit the bill.

There are several choices of side salads ranging in price from $2.99 up to $10 for some substantial add-ons.

The Small Octopus Salad ($2.99) was a clean, refreshing mix of chilled octopus, crisp greens and cucumber, and the oceanic tang of seaweed. The sweet-and-sour side dressing was a nice complement to the bitterness of the greens.

In a classic case of "who knew?" there is a traditional Japanese Potato Salad ($2.99) that is very similar to our American version. It's served cold and creamy, and could rival your grandmother's, although I thought that the cucumbers and shredded carrots needed more pickling in order to give that little touch of acidity to balance the creaminess.

Igarashi takes dessert to a whole different level, offering hot chocolate balls ($4 for 6) as well as a dessert du jour ($5 for 6).

We tried the "almond joy" blend of coconut and chocolate that was the daily special. Order these as you finish your meal so that they arrive piping hot and you get a melted fusion of the chocolate with vanilla cream sauce.

My tasters and I tried the delivery, which was fast and efficient to our location about ten blocks away. The only item that didn't travel well was the French fries.

If you are at the Philadelphia Zoo this Sunday and Monday, Chef Igarashi will be part of the Japanese cuisine offerings for the Asian and Pacific Islands Creatures of Culture event.

I think the next wave of fast food may very well be the "takoyaki-ria." Roll-on Maru, roll on!