Daughter of two professional chefs provides a young adult's perspective on food, restaurants, and eating!! follow us on facebook @Francis Xavier
Daughter of two professional chefs provides a kid's perspective on food, restaurants, and eating!
There’s an old saying that you can’t go home again. Maybe that’s true. The places change, the people change, and even our memories tend to soften the edges of reality over time. Yet whenever I find myself back in familiar territory, I catch myself searching […]
Denver Lavender Festival at the Botanic Gardens I recently attended the Denver Lavender Festival at the Denver Botanic Gardens and was impressed by the variety of vendors, educational exhibits, and local farms participating in the event. Lavender is much more than a beautiful flowering plant. […]
Among the rolling meadows and live music of the MeadowGrass Music Festival in Colorado Springs, one of the highlights of the day was a visit to Smoke N J’s food truck. The aroma of slow-smoked barbecue drifted through the festival grounds, making it impossible to pass by without stopping.
I ordered a barbecue sandwich topped with crispy onions, and it proved to be an excellent choice. The tender smoked meat paired perfectly with the satisfying crunch of the onions, creating a balance of flavors and textures that complemented the relaxed festival atmosphere. Enjoyed under Colorado’s open sky, it was a delightful meal and a welcome companion to an afternoon filled with music, conversation, and community.
Sometimes the best festival memories come not only from the performers on stage, but also from the simple pleasure of discovering a well-crafted meal along the way.
Chefs notes from the Garden. Heat moves through our world in three distinct ways: conduction, convection, and radiation. Whether tending a garden, cooking a meal, or simply standing in the summer sun, all three are constantly at work. Conduction is heat through touch. A cast-iron pan […]
There’s a quiet authority to a well-handled piece of cheese—something Food & Wine Magazine captured beautifully in their March 2026 feature, “More Cheese, Please.” Not indulgence for indulgence’s sake, but a reminder: cheese, when treated properly, is not an accessory—it’s the lead. “with artisan cheese makers in […]
A tap from Westword put Brazen Head Irish Pub on the map as a must-visit, “Best in Omaha” so naturally the culinary adventure led us there. to be the best one of the metrics is consistency.
As part of the culinary holy grail – the best rueben is still being sought. The Reuben at the Brazen Head holds its own—flavorful, but a touch overbuilt with kraut, requiring a bit of excavation to get to the heart of it. The chips? Serviceable, though not memorable.
Hmm.. three on the day, out of Draft Vitamin G (Guinness) and not able to advise on the pour for the alternate was from the tin… For a place flying the banner, that one stings.
Now, while Westword crowned it number one in Omaha, they must have caught it on a better day. As for me, I’d land the experience at two out of five forks—and hold out hope for a Westword day next time
The last time I experienced truly memorable cuisine was while traveling in England. Indian food, often called the national dish of England, surprised me then with its depth and devotion to balance. So imagine my delight to find that same harmony—perfectly steamed rice paired with tender, […]
some meals satisfy some meals sustain. and some meals feel like they are waiting for you. Today I found tamales at La Mesa – fully loaded like a small ceremony. Steam rising, a pause before first bite. Tamales are my culinary holy grail. Not casual. […]
Treasure found. Not the kind buried in hills — the kind wrapped tight in foil and handed through a food truck window.
El Dorado sat unassuming, engine quiet, grill hot. No spectacle. Just confidence. The kind that doesn’t shout because it doesn’t need to.
I started where I often begin — with the asada burrito. A benchmark order. A test of hands, fire, and seasoning.
The carne asada was tender with char at the edges — that essential kiss of flame. The tortilla held its structure without resisting the bite. Rice and beans weren’t filler; they were supporting cast. Balanced. Intentional. No ingredient hiding.
It was the kind of burrito that makes you pause mid-bite. There’s a moment when you know:
I’ll be back. And not just returning— back with purpose.
Because when a first choice lands this clean, it earns the right to exploration. Next time, I won’t hesitate. I’ll work methodically across the menu — tacos maybe tortas if they’re running it. A proper walk-through.
Respect to the craft. Street food, when done right, feels honest. It doesn’t perform. It feeds.
And in Omaha, on an ordinary stretch of pavement, El Dorado is a treasure.
Heat is a language. Once you learn to read it … and hear it, you learn to cook more deeply. When we step into a kitchen—whether indoors or among the herbs and tomatoes of the garden—heat is our quiet collaborator. It transforms firm roots into […]