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Daughter of two professional chefs provides a young adult's perspective on food, restaurants, and eating!! follow us on facebook @Francis Xavier

Author: Chef Francis Xavier

Travelers Culinary Adventure – a Familiar Warmth rekindled at the Armadillo in La Salle

Travelers Culinary Adventure – a Familiar Warmth rekindled at the Armadillo in La Salle

The Armadillo in Ladle, Colorado — a place where the welcome feels genuine and the pace unhurried. The staff greeted us with easy smiles, the kind that make you feel like this is where you were meant to end up for the evening. For the […]

Travelers Culinary Adventure – Arts, Eats and the Spirit of RiNo: Mr. Oso

Travelers Culinary Adventure – Arts, Eats and the Spirit of RiNo: Mr. Oso

We partook in the amenities of Denver’s River North — better known as RiNo, a neighborhood where music is alive, art spills from the walls and flavor fills the air. It’s a place where creativity hums from murals to menus. we are drawn into Mister […]

Travelers Culinary Adventure – The Gift of Hospitality: Ocean Prime, Larimer Square

Travelers Culinary Adventure – The Gift of Hospitality: Ocean Prime, Larimer Square

Sometimes dining out isn’t about the meal itself — it’s about how you’re made to feel. At Ocean Prime in Larimer Square, the evening began the moment we stepped through the door.

Night at Larimer Square

We were greeted not as guests, but as old friends — the kind you haven’t seen in a while yet instantly fall back into conversation with. We were seated promptly, and before long, found ourselves being genuinely fussed over in the best possible way.

Yes, we enjoyed the beverages and appetizers (dynamite roll is fantastic) — each thoughtfully prepared and presented — but what lingered wasn’t a flavor. It was a feeling. The rare kind of hospitality that leaves you lighter, as though someone handed you a small, unexpected gift wrapped in warmth and sincerity.

We came for a quick stop, but we left reminded why true hospitality is its own art form

Charlie Trotter’s Book

Charlie Trotter’s Book

Across my culinary feed came an article by Chicago journalist Aimee Levitt. Simply stated “unpacking Trotter’s life with cook books. It is painting a portrait of a culinary artist in love with the cook book”. Reading Levitt’s reflection made me think about where I was […]

Notes from the Garden, Cereals

Notes from the Garden, Cereals

Cereals write up come from Chef G’s Notes. when one hears the word cereal, what comes to mind first – is it breakfast bowl or grain field? Exactly. Some say that I take grains to seriously…but I can’t wheat to write about them. “The word […]

Travel Culinary Adventure, farmer’s market … an Omaha vignette

Travel Culinary Adventure, farmer’s market … an Omaha vignette

Edible souvenir from Omaha Farmer’s Market.

Recent travels took me to Omaha. During a delightful walk about in Old Town I came across a delightful farmer’s market. Among the stalls of fresh flowers, produce and bakery items, the true gem revealed itself. A kiosk of make your own refrigerator pickles. A simple set up: jars, crisp cucumbers, vinegar, hotwater and the spices. The result is an edible souvenir of the day.

Travelers Culinary adventure: Sioux City’s SoHo..

Travelers Culinary adventure: Sioux City’s SoHo..

Late Lunch at SOHO: A tenderloin worth talking about Good evening from a sleepless night, where reflection turns food – and today’s memory is a delicious one from Sioux City. I stopped in for lunch at American Kitchen and Bar, drawn in by its warm, […]

Travelers Culinary Adventure: Tamales at La Mesa Papillion

Travelers Culinary Adventure: Tamales at La Mesa Papillion

Culinary Holy Grail is the pinnacle of culinary artistry because of its complexity, heritage and ceremonial use. The best Tamales are reserved for holidays, weddings and Dia de los Muertos. when made well with hand made masa, traditional fillings and careful wrapping – they become […]

Travelers Culinary Adventure: Where Barbecue Meets Omaha: The Pit Lounge in Papillion

Travelers Culinary Adventure: Where Barbecue Meets Omaha: The Pit Lounge in Papillion

Todays taste for barbeque led me straight to smoke – and the pit lounge in Papillion – delivered in all the right ways.

Todays taste led me straight to smoke – and the Pit Lounge in Papillion delivered in all the right ways. Another stop on this culinary adventure , where barbeque meets Omaha, slow and smoky.

It is the sides that sealed it. Cornbread arrived warm, golden crust – but it was the drizzle of honey that elevated it to memorable.

The sauce also hit the mark – sweet and tangy, balanced – working well with the ribs or the brisket. And the slaw, dressed in clean red wine vinegar, wasn’t just a side- it played a vital role , cutting through the richness and refreshing that palate with every bite.

If you find yourself near Papillion with a taste for the real thing, the Pit Lounge is worth the stop. This is barbeque with confidence – and heart to make you linger.

Travelers Culinary Adventure; Papillion’s hidden gem; Caniglia’s A Mano

Travelers Culinary Adventure; Papillion’s hidden gem; Caniglia’s A Mano

A journey brought me to Papillion, Nebraska – a town where the pace slows and local flavors shine. tucked among the neighborhood streets is a spot well worth the stop: Canigilia’s a Mano. This unassuming local eatery delivers the kind of comfort and quality that […]