The coronavirus is mostly a beating, except when it brings us ramen: Flagship Restaurant Group, which owns Blue Sushi Sake Grill, has launched a partnership that will give Fort Worth diners a taste of ramen that's internationally known.

Flagship has partnered with famed ramen master Ivan Orkin, star of Chef's Table and owner of New York's cult-fave Ivan Ramen, to create a program whereby locations of Blue Sushi Sake Grill will prepare Orkin's ramen, fried chicken, steamed pork buns, and more, and make them available for takeout and delivery.

The program has already launched in Nebraska, where Flagship is based. DFW Blue Sushi Sake Grill locations will come on board with takeaway/delivery in the next few weeks:

• Blue Sushi Sake Grill in Fort Worth will begin offering Ivan Ramen for takeaway/delivery starting February 18.
• Blue Sushi SakeGrill in Dallas will begin offering Ivan Ramen for takeaway/delivery at the end of March.

Diners will be able to place a takeout or delivery order on IvanRamen.com. A majority of Ivan Ramen's menu will be available, including:

• Signature ramens such as the Tonkotsu, Spicy Red Chile, Vegan Shoyu, and Tokyo Shio
• Appetizers like Japanese Fried Chicken with toasted garlic caramel, togarashi, and shiso ranch
• Steamed Pork Buns with soy-plum glaze and picked daikon
• Spicy Kyuri Pickles with spiced rice vinegar and dill

They also crafted a selection of sakes and Japanese lagers that pair well with the menu items, as part of the elevated delivery and takeout experience.

Nick Hogan, CEO and co-founder of Flagship Restaurant Group, says in a statement this reflects a longtime goal to work with Orkin.

"My Flagship Restaurant Group partners and I have always wanted to find a way to work with Ivan Orkin and his New York City team, but the timing was never right on either side," Hogan says. "Then came the COVID-19 pandemic and after a lot of creative ideation between both brands, an organic partnership came together that just worked."

Orkin says it's an honor to partner with Flagship and make Ivan Ramen so readily available.

"The pandemic has made it really difficult for many people to leave their cities and travel to markets like New York City or Tokyo, where they can get an authentic taste of ramen culture," Orkin says. "I’m thrilled that I can give people an authentic experience that’s on par with what they’d have at my Clinton Street location, in the comfort of their homes in locations like Lincoln, Nebraska or Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas."