Looking for raw performance. PHP can compete with node anytime. It just has to be PHP 7 on a LEMP or LEPP or whatever architecture you use, just make sure it has Nginx. PHP is better at handling large stuff like this.
Also, Laravel is pretty good at handling email and database related problems, and it does it pretty fast. But if you still need more speed, try Phalcon.
For node, use sails.