Mu Ramen (Facebook)
Nov. 29, 2014 By Christian Murray
The seating is limited and the lines are expected to be long.
Joshua and Heidy Smookler are finally opening their highly anticipated ramen restaurant at 12-09 Jackson Avenue on Monday called Mu Ramen.
The restaurant will have 22 seats—16 to be part of a large communal table, while the remaining six seats to be located next to the chef.
Given the small space, the restaurant will only cater to groups of four people or less. Furthermore, strollers are not permitted inside the restaurant.
The restaurant will be open from 5:30 to 10:00 pm Monday-Saturday. Heidy Smookler originally wanted to remain open until 4 am in order to draw late-night workers in the hospitality industry. However, she received push back from Community Board 2.
The restaurant got its start in November 2013 when it operated out of Bricktown Bagels in the evenings. The husband-and-wife duo began serving steamed buns and bowls of ramen.
Both have worked at highly acclaimed restaurants. He worked in the kitchen at Per Se, while she worked at Buddakan in Manhattan.
Mu Ramen, while it was operating out of Bricktown Bagels ( 51-06 Vernon Blvd), won high praise in the New York Times and several other outlets that helped raise its profile.
The restaurant offers four bowls of ramen (click for menu) ranging in price from $15 to $18 with a variety of toppings at extra cost.
Long Island City residents will have another ramen restaurant to choose from in March when Tamashii Blue, based out of Astoria, opens at 47-36 Vernon Boulevard.
