Christian Irabién’s Muchas Gracias, a mercadito and Latin American eatery, is popping up in Chevy Chase.

“It’s a little frustrating that the immediate picture of Mexican food is usually carnitas and cheap tacos,” the chef says. “It can have a delicate flavor or be fresh and herbaceous.”

Spend the week ahead learning about (and drinking) absinthe or rum, or grab a sneak peek at an anticipated modern Mexican restaurant.