La Fiamma Italian Restaurant - the Pardo Family (who met at Paradiso) in the former Paradiso space on Franconia Road

[Kibbee Nayee]

Gonzalo and Melina Pardo met at Paradiso in 2003, and they dreamed of opening their own restaurant for over a decade. The Argentine family, joined by their two sons and a chef from New York, recently opened La Fiamma in the former Paradiso space. I plan on giving it a try, but the exterior is nicely refreshed, and the menu has some items like Seafood alla Veneziana, which Lady KN will devour, homemade black linguine and all....and count me in on the veal chop with Barolo reduction.

Opening a family-owned single restaurant on the tail end of a pandemic -- with the Delta variant looming -- takes a special set of equipage. I'm rooting for them to succeed, and I applaud their fortitude. I'm thinking this is a cooler weather kind of restaurant, but it's on my list.