Elma is about to be Fishtown's toughest dinner reservation

• You might know Nardone from his time as a sous chef at Suraya or via his former pop-up Nardone Pasta Co., which put him on my radar from its stops at Northern Liberties' Ortlieb's and South Philly supper club Santé.

What to expect: Saturday's six-course prix fixe meal celebrated Elma's opening "as well as the spring harvest," and it showed from the scallop crudo starter all the way through to the blackberry-topped dessert.

• But the highlight was, unsurprisingly, the pasta — specifically, an artichoke and ricotta-stuffed casoncelli.

The bottom line: This was one of the best dinners I've had in Philly in a long while. I almost don't want to tell you that, but I have a feeling the secret's gonna get out anyway.