Tulip Pasta & Wine Bar brings fine Italian eats to Fishtown

Tulip Pasta & Wine Bar, tucked away in Fishtown, might not be slinging anything new to Philadelphia, but it's a mighty fine addition to the neighborhood's scene.

What's happening: I checked out Tulip's second preview weekend on Friday, which featured four courses with wine pairings — but the spot is set to start its regular, a la carte service this weekend.

• The big hit was the charcoal roasted beet ravioli. I heard someone at the next table telling our server that the dish had "converted" her, despite being a noted beet hater. (Fair warning here: if you don't like beets, it was very beet-y.)
• I was also all about the stuffed zucchini blossoms, fried up and packed with a variety of local cheeses. They're the fanciest mozzarella sticks you'll ever have.

Don't miss out on sampling the wine. Tulip is a partnership with Wayvine Winery & Vineyard, out in Nottingham, and all of the sips were absolutely excellent. The highlight was the Sauvignon Blanc — level and floral, not overly acidic.

• Between Tulip, Mural City Garden and Fishtown Social, you could have a nice little natural wine walk down Frankford Ave.

The bottom line: If only every quiet corner joint could crank out food like this.