Waiting for Ivan Orkin’s Ramen Specials

By 6:30 p.m., about a hundred ramen fans were waiting at Momofuku Noodle Bar to try the one-night-only specials from Ivan Orkin, the Long Island chef who has been slinging his well-respected ramen in Tokyo for the last few years. But by the time many folks were in, Orkin’s specials had already sold out.

The sweaty queue stretched down First Avenue and wrapped around the corner to continue along 10th Street. (For Jack Cheng, who got there four hours early, it was exactly long enough to write a fun, short piece of fiction about waiting in line.)

Here’s what everyone was waiting for:

We tried a bright, clean shio ramen with springy rye noodles:

And an ostentatious, ultra-porky, triple garlic mazeman, with slices of pickled garlic and a garnish of crispy bacon–the whole thing just dripping with fat. Lips greased, bellies full, we retreated.

According to Twitter, Orkin’s specials ran out shortly after 7 p.m., but keep in mind the chef has plans to open Ivan Ramen NYC before the end of the year.