On July 19, Eater’s Bang Bang dinner series came for the City of Brotherly Love, in an evening that brought together Philly hotspots Emmett, Mawn, and Manna Bakery. True to the Bang Bang (Bang?) concept, each restaurant presented its own multi-course
meal for a back-to-back-to-back dining experience that celebrated the creativity and diversity of Philadelphia’s dining scene.
Guests began with Emmett chef Evan Snyder’s Levantine-inspired menu, featuring dishes like bluefin tuna with an everything matzo cracker and labneh, charred corn agnolotti with tahini, and dry-aged lamb. Chef Phila Lorn of Mawn followed with his signature Cambodian-rooted flavors, including wagyu skewers with fish sauce caramel and crab gravy rice. And Saif Manna of Manna Bakery served a memorable finale, starting with charcoal-grilled sea bass followed by complementary desserts: a sumac pavlova with rose-marinated raspberries and chocolate cake with whipped tahini ganache and a raspberry gel.
While each chef brought a distinct perspective to the table, they were united by an enthusiasm for collaboration and community. As Chef Snyder put it, “Bringing together our Macro-Mediterranean, Mawn’s Cambodian and Southeast Asian, and Manna’s Levantine and Palestinian cuisines creates an evening that celebrates both the individuality of each concept and the richness of Philadelphia’s dining scene.” Chef Lorn described the evening as “a celebration of great food, hard work, and the people who dedicate their lives to this craft.”
And for Manna, who just opened his first brick-and-mortar storefront days after the event, the collaboration embodied what makes dining out so special: “The best meals come from people who are excited to cook together and share that experience with others.”
In true Philly fashion, the talented chef teams held nothing back: While the night was a long one, it was also an unforgettable one, with a killer dish lineup not soon to be replicated. Check out the highlights below and download the Eater app to hear about more exclusive events like these.
