Pasta Mia
Pasta Mia, 1790 Columbia Road NW, Washington, DC, 202-328-9114, 6:30 to 10, Tuesday through Saturday (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | openlist | Yelp]
This place is now all the rage. Every night there is a line at opening and they don't take reservations. It is supposed to be cheap and excellent pasta, of exactly the kind we usually don't have in this area. Cash only, and waiting in line can take up to an hour.