If you’re familiar with authentic Mexican cuisine, then you might also be familiar with the anafre. It’s a traditional clay pot that is used in Mexican cooking as a portable oven. Chef Alfredo Solis grew up listening to his mother tell stories about how she would cook for her family in the anafre when she was a girl in the Mexican countryside. As an homage to her, he recently opened Anafre DC.

The moniker hints at the type of fare Chef Alfredo and his team serve at the new eatery. It all has roots in classic Mexican cooking, but he adds his own contemporary twist. For example, the Acapulco seafood nachos come loaded with gooey cheese, pickled jalapenos, crab meat, and shrimp, and the guacamole del mar features lobster and crab. For the main course, Chef Alfredo prepares dishes like the Anafre parrillada, a grilled steak complemented by shrimp, chicken, jalapenos, and rice and beans, all ready to get wrapped up in flour tortillas. Before heading back to your apartment in DC, top off your meal with a signature cocktail like the Luna de Miel, a mix of rum, sugar cane, lime, and melon juice.