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In honor of its third anniversary serving unusual Chinese cuisine–inspired dishes on East Passyunk Avenue, Bing Bing Dim Sum has introduced a new prix-fixe dinner special.
The “Bangarang” meal, served family style for a minimum of two people, costs the same as the regular Restaurant Week menus: $35 per person. However, the dishes in Bing’s meal are the opposite of boring — no offense to RW staples like broiled tilapia with sauteed spinach — and they’re loaded with a ton of food.
Per co-owner Shawn Darragh, who’s finally feeling the flow as the restaurant goes into its fourth year, the Bangarang comes with enough food that you’re likely to have leftovers for sandwiches the next day.
Things start with a “PuPu Platter.” That name for an appetizer assortment was likely introduced to the U.S. as a tiki specialty, but became a regular item at American Chinese restaurants starting back in the 1970s.
At Bing, the platter comes with:
- Cumin lamb rolls
- Fried chicken wontons
- Blistered shishito peppers
- Mongolian beef on a stick
- Ma la cucumber (spicy smashed cukes)
After you finish scarfing up those snacks, the main event arrives: a make-your-own buns setup featuring “Superior Chicken.”
The antibiotic-free Lancaster County bird, served whole or cut in half on the plate, is first brined overnight in soy sauce and mirin rice vinegar, per chef and co-owner Ben Puchowitz. It’s then seared to crisp the skin, and braised for nearly three hours. Liquid from the braise is turned into the “superior” sauce — with garlic, ginger, sesame, chile, star anise and shaoxing wine.
End result of all this is extremely tender meat that pulls easily off the bone. And that’s what you’ll do at the restaurant, tearing off chunks to pile on airy rice buns with toppings of mixed house pickled veg and kimchi aioli.
Don’t fill up on too much chicken (save some for lunch tomorrow), because an unorthodox Chinese-Jewish mashup dessert is also included. Chocolate cheesecake bao comes with chocolate sauce drizzled over the top and a sprinkling of peanut brittle.
Bing Bing’s Bangarang — thanks, Skrillex — is available every night for $35 per person. It’s also a fun way to celebrate the Lunar New Year this weekend.
