The hardest reservation in D.C. right now is the new La Merna, from a couple (literally) Chicago talents. They’re doing (great, already) tavern-style pizza, fun pastas, and top-shelf drinks in a setting that truly evokes an earlier decade in the Windy City. Love the paneling, the service, the bustle. The cherry on top was seeing a former colleague, poised for further greatness in his career.