I first happened upon the name Mauricio Fraga-Rosenfeld after eating at Gua-Rapo in Arlington. After allowing my food to absorb my drinks a bit, I went home and immediately Googled the restaurant. If you've never been, this place leaves that much of an impression. With its chic, reddish décor, leather chairs and retro bar, you might expect to find this place a little stuffy. Gua-Rapo, however, puts forth an unassuming air through its friendly wait staff and laid-back vibe that disarms and pleasures guests. (They also offer happy hours with a variety of $4 tapas and drinks!) After my visit, I knew I had to sit and chat with the man that made this all possible.

Mauricio Fraga-Rosenfeld is the owner of four Latin-based restaurants in the area: Chi-Cha Lounge, Agua Ardiente, Gazuza and Gua-Rapo. Come July, he'll be the owner of six. The D.C. restaurant mogul dropped out of American University his last semester to devote himself full-time to his business enterprises, and hasn't looked back since. I couldn't help but inquire about any plans to go on "The Apprentice." He laughed at my question, and responded that he is "too old." At 37, he has a wife and three kids and doesn't have the time to apply, but in all honesty, he admits, "I had entertained the idea."

With two hot new restaurants opening in the coming months, Fraga-Rosenfeld is about to have his hands full. The upscale restaurant-lounge Maté, set to open in May in Georgetown's Ritz-Carlton building, will feature what Fraga-Rosenfeld calls a "Latin sushi concept: Latin-based food, such as corn, presented as sushi." For those of you who are more partial to Fraga-Rosenfeld's more Nuevo Latino, Gua-Rapo-type fare, Ceviche, slated for a July opening, might be more your speed and price range.

When asked which of his restaurants is his favorite, Fraga-Rosenfeld doesn't hesitate: "Chi-Cha is my soul, my baby." The entrepreneur remains just as firmly grounded in what he calls the "Latin spirit" as ever. Attesting to this is Fraga-Rosenfeld's commitment to each aspect of his restaurant business; from menu concept to design layout, each and every one of his places is an intimate and personal undertaking. He even just got back from Germany where he presented his furniture designs.

In trying to get a sense of Mauricio's personal life, I asked him about hobbies. He replied honestly: food. "Forget museums and art galleries. I can look at them in pictures. When I go out, I want to sit at a café with my wife all day and just soak in the atmosphere and experience the wonderful food and drink."

Atmosphere is a big word with the 37-year-old entrepreneur, and you get the idea that although this man is quickly becoming a Latin maverick, he's also not afraid to mix it up a little. For example, I asked him about his hookah bars. For those of you wondering, the hookah bar is not a Latin concept. Fraga-Rosenfeld found inspiration when traveling to Jordan with his wife, of Jordanian descent. On one of those trips, they came up with the idea of incorporating a hookah bar, indigenous to the Middle East, into his Latin-based restaurants. The combination has been an overwhelming success.

As a relatively recent D.C. transplant still searching for good restaurants, I decided I'd ask an expert about his own picks. Ever helpful and gracious, Fraga-Rosenfeld recommended Pizzeria Paradiso, Cactus Cantina and Moby Dick for inexpensive, quality fare. And for those of you with a bit more money (tax refund perhaps?) to burn, you might want to give TenPenh a try—personally, I might have to hold out till next tax season. Besides, my palate is preoccupied these days with two buzz-worthy restaurants to check out in the coming months, and three others (including Chi-Cha) to soak in before summer's end. As summer is the perfect season for sangria, tapas, and sitting outside and soaking in the ... people, I suggest you might want to follow suit and give Chi-Cha, Gazuza, Agua Ardiente, Gua-Rapo, Ceviche or Maté a try.

For more on Mauricio Fraga-Rosenfeld, be sure to check out Latinconcepts.com.

[Beth Gottfried is a D.C.-based freelance writer who recently co-authored a business book on NBC's hit reality TV show, "The Apprentice."]