Double Dinners and the Mandela Effect
The most food photos ever in a single issue of IKSIDS
A quick admin note: This issue of IKSIDS is a little delayed due to my laptop deciding to go on strike for 2 days. Support your local union, folks.
Newsletter number four and it’s time to get heavy. Today we’re digging into Baader-Meinhof phenomenon (frequency illusion) and the Mandela Effect. Into the vortex we go:
Just kidding, we’re talking about Bang Bang! This is a new-to-me term I learned last week meaning double dinner.
Cancel culture can keep Louis CK but Bang Bang lives on. In writing this, I realized I am unsure of the correct past tense of Bang Bang; is it Banged Banged or Bang Banged? (Yes, I will continue capitalizing Bang Bang every time, because double meals are double important.) Anyway, we Bang Banged Vietnamese and American last week: mini-squad dinner at Gabriella’s Vietnam on Passyunk, then the newly reopened Royal Tavern – also on Passyunk.
I’m convinced that Gabriella’s remains the best unsecret secret on Passyunk. If you check out their press page you’ll see they have numerous mentions, even outside of local publications. They were in a New York Times top 50 list in 2022. But nearly everyone I’ve personally asked, “Have you been to Gabriella’s,” always says no. Y’all are fucking up and need to change that.
The chrysanthemum tea is out of this world. The dumplings, which are unlike any other dumpling I’ve ever had, rip. They describe them as almost like oyster shooters, in the way you’re meant to slurp ‘em down. Prawn and Mango salad: divine. Lemongrass tofu: bomb. The rest of the order: shaken beef, savory crepes, sizzling catfish, seafood fried rice, all the desserts. All so good. My advice: go with 4+ people because everything is better shared. Or go on a date, prepared to eat your faces off and take some beautiful leftovers home with you.
Intermezzo: two rounds of miller lites at Friendly Lounge.
Dinner part two: a wedge salad, porchetta sandwich, smoked beef round sandwich, cheeseburger, and fries.
Dessert part two: cookies, chocolate cake, and payday pudding.
With the recent reopening of Royal Tavern, everyone is talking about how great the burger used to be, and how it was their favorite burger in the city, and how they all loved it so much. Unfortunately I’m here to share that was never my experience. I used to stop in for a nightcap after work occasionally, when I worked in Bella Vista. It is also the site of the worst dining experience I’ve ever had in Philadelphia.
But I was very excited for the reopening. New chef, Nick Macri (for the 2nd time in the brief history of this newsletter, I must say RIP La Divisa) is one of the best chefs in the city. And my goodness, did the food deliver. The long hot on the burger really hit the spot. The smoked beef round was perfectly juicy. And the porchetta sandwich – which was the whole group’s least favorite amongst the sandwiches – I would eat two right now if they were in front of me. I don’t know how we managed to eat any more, but desserts were all on point too. Get a shot of sambuca with dessert, if you are cool like us.
Also worth noting, the inside is basically the same as before; checks all the necessary boxes for a great neighborhood spot. Dark, cozy, and welcoming.
Back to the heavy stuff: when discussing bang bang at Friendly Lounge, the two people teaching me about it were convinced (and convinced me) that it had originated from Master of None, a different canceled comedian’s tv show. It was only when researching for this issue, I discovered it was actually from Louie. And frequency illusion: in the week after learning this new term, I must’ve heard it mentioned in passing by almost a dozen different people. Spooky.
Stuff For Your Mouth:
I’m a NYC hater… but… go to NYC for the day/night last minute with your friends. Get drinks, get snacks, have a night. Sleep on a floor in Brooklyn for 4 hours, then on a couch for 2 more. Just, for the love of god, on the drive up stop at Darke Pines in Jersey City and get some sandwiches. Maybe a dry aged steak too, if you have the space and ability to keep it cold. We shared their Italian Hoagie and Pastrami Reuben. Both were elite.
Also a cheeky little note on NYC: if you ask nicely at Bad Luck Bar, they will make you Mind Erasers with hand cracked ice. The picture below is me in one of my most pure states of happiness.
While doing some of the initial writing for this issue (pre laptop strike), I was posted up at the bar at Solar Myth, drinking Roberto Henriquez’s 2020 Rivera Del Notro Orange wine. Had to give a shout out because this wine was excellent. It smelled like fresh basil and had some notes of a savory lemon herb oil. An IKSIDS recommended pick.
Stuff For Your Ears:
Jon Pardi’s cover of A Long December (bonus points if you check out the rest of his new Christmas album)
The annual slansburg xmas playlist:
A selection from my On Repeat spotify algorithm playlist:
Stuff For Your Eyes:
Here’s a dump of food photos:
The first four come courtesy of the tasting menu at Friday Saturday Sunday. Then we have a Hanukkah dinner party, latkes made at home, a charcuterie spread, and burgers and fries with a side of Dominos at Fountain Porter.
I haven’t done much of my own creative work this month, the lack of sunlight is always a tough time for me, creatively. But I can recommend two movies I saw this month: Godzilla Minus One (I cried 3 times) & The Iron Claw (I cried 1 time). Went into both movies blind as far as trailers or any significant knowledge of the storylines. Iron Claw is very sad, so this is your warning before diving in.
Sports Section:
I still love Tobias Harris, but his play this year has made it really hard to stand on the same defenses I’ve given his performance in the past. He has been balling the last 3 games, which makes me very happy to see, and is obviously good for the Sixers as a whole.