The sentimental value of a menu | Morning Newsletter
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Welcome to a sunny Saturday.
Today, we’re highlighting the practice of keeping menus from restaurants around the city. Plus, there’s news about a new role Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is taking on under the Trump administration, changes coming to Philadelphia International Airport, and a bagel shop expanding into four more locations.
— Paola Pérez ([email protected])
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What you should know today
ICE detainees will be confined at the federal jail in Center City. They are expected to arrive “soon” to the reserved unit with up to 125 beds.
Prosecutors have announced charges against a dozen members of three South Philadelphia gangs who they say were responsible for shooting at least 26 people between 2022 and 2023.
A Bucks County piano teacher sexually assaulted four of his students in their homes over a period of several years, and there may be more victims, prosecutors said Friday.
Gov. Shapiro was appointed by President Donald Trump to serve on a little-known council of governors to strengthen partnerships between states and the federal government.
A Canada goose that was found dead in Pemberton earlier this month is Burlington County’s first bird to test positive for bird flu.
City Council approved $45 million in funding to help pay for Philadelphia’s commemoration of the 250th anniversary of America next year.
Acclaimed knife-maker Steve Pellegrino is on life support after being critically injured in a car crash between the city and his home in Bucks County this week.
Local 98 has agreed to pay another $25,000 in ethics fines to resolve issues that stemmed from former labor leader John J. Dougherty’s criminal conduct a decade ago.
Philadelphia International Airport opened a new lounge this week and plans to launch more flight routes soon. The latest additions come on the heels of PHL hitting a passenger milestone last year.
Upper Darby School District is considering the purchase of the shuttered Delaware County Memorial Hospital next to its high school as a possible site for expansion.
Kismet Bagels, which launched around five years ago as a couple’s pandemic project and has grown to four locations, expects to double its store count by this summer.
Would you take a menu home from your favorite restaurant in the city? For food writer Kiki Aranita, keeping one after a particularly delicious meal is something of a ritual — with permission, of course.
Kiki has accumulated tons of paper menus over the last 15 years. Some are framed like art in her home office. They represent meals across five continents and highlight dinners where she or her husband, Ari, served as chefs, as well as unique designs, other chefs’ autographs, dishes served once and never again, and places that no longer exist.
I loved reading about Kiki’s tradition. It got me thinking about all the places I would have snagged a menu from if had I been inspired earlier: La Collina, to reminisce on my first carbonara; Under the Moon in Lambertville, where I fell head over heels for the juiciest beef empanadas; or the now-closed Toro Toro in Washington D.C., where my partner and I landed the luckiest last-minute seats one Valentine’s Day.
Saving menus is a creative way to immortalize the distinct, and sometimes shared experience, of a meal. It’s one thing to talk about the best bite you ever had, but it’s even more satisfying to hold physical proof of the fine details and reimagine the feelings, the tastes, the sentimental value of it all. “An old menu yanks a past dinner into the present,” Kiki says, comparing these mementos to song lyrics.
This practice reminds me of a DIY home renovator who gathered beloved recipes from family and friends, and hung them inside her pantry. It also reminded me of the way people collect matchbooks from local eateries and shops. I have some from bartaco in King of Prussia, a holistic gift shop in Conshohocken, and Shinji’s cocktail bar in New York City. Kiki told me she also keeps some in a jar, and joked that it seems like a more dangerous hobby.
No matter how you pocket the memory of a special occasion, the nostalgic impact is powerful. Kiki’s method is one cool way to showcase a souvenir, representing a memorable moment in a way that pictures or receipts might not fully capture. Now the next time I have a paper menu in front of me, I might consider asking for one to take home.
The Phillies start their spring schedule today against the Detroit Tigers. But going into the new season, some of the biggest fans, including Dan Perry, are feeling more let down than excited.
In a column for The Inquirer, Perry says the Phils’ complacency and lack of response to their “epic collapse” in the 2024 postseason pales in comparison to the Eagles’ commitment to win the city a “transcendental Super Bowl victory.”
“They didn’t hide behind cliches, or pretend their roster was just fine. Instead, they got to work,” Perry writes.
Read on for his take on how the Phils can recoup fans' hopes for another championship run.
❓ Pop quiz
Which of the following is the go-to cheesesteak spot for Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter, front man for The Roots?
A) Pat’s King of Steaks
B) Dalessandro’s Steaks
C) Geno’s Steaks
D) Sonny’s Famous Steaks
Think you know? Check your answer.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: A waterway near Camden
REPROVE RICO
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.
Cheers to Matthew Ritter who correctly guessed Friday’s answer: Philly Pretzel Factory. The makers of a Philadelphia delicacy are opening several stores in the Orlando area.
The Sixers started Thursday’s game against the Celtics at the Wells Fargo Center with an optimistic sense of urgency but ultimately lost 124-104.
Coach Nick Nurse blamed the team’s lack of ability to guard: “Too many wide-open shots,” he said. Tyrese Maxey said the struggles stem from a lack of trust.
Check out more snaps from the game as captured by staff photographer Yong Kim.
Somewhere on the internet in Philly
Philadelphians on Reddit are discussing the pros and cons of the city’s ban on single-use plastic bags four years on. (Note: The law was passed in December 2019, but the ban technically didn’t go into full effect until April 2022.)
Meanwhile in Philly is asking people to name their favorite view in the whole city. What’s yours?
Over on Instagram, Anthony Williams captured what Philly sports fans feel like right now, while the debate continues on The Inquirer’s page over whether we are truly New York’s “sixth borough.” One funny response said the only New Yorker we want is Saquon Barkley, but real ones know our champ has Philly roots.
👋🏽 Julie’s got you covered with the latest news tomorrow. Take care.
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