Today we’d like to introduce you to Froilan Cruz.
Hi Froilan, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
When COVID-19 tragically devastated the city of Los Angeles my brother and i got together and the idea came to us to bring our family’s recipes to the city. We made it a reality with only three days till opening day we risked it all. Today Xnana LA is progressing with the support of many loyal customers who love the idea of a very tasteful Consomé that is used to braise our beef, which we transform into our famous Zombie Quesadillas and Tacos. At Xnana We like to think of ourselves as more than a taco stand. Our recipes have been passed down from our mothers and grandmothers who were raised in Oaxaca. Our family’s heritage inspires us in all our recipes, especially the soul of Oaxaca, La Barbacoa. The meaning of Xnana is our traditional Dialect, in Spanish translation it is “mi mama” and in English, it translates “my mom”. (Sh-na-na)-
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has definitely not been easy or smooth. It has been a journey for sure full of challenges, sometimes it could be scary and sometimes full of excitement, like some of my colleagues say Chef life! It could get hairy sometimes especially running a restaurant in the Grand Central Market and Xnana pop-ups at the same time, balancing my life it sure has been a struggle I’m not going to lie sometimes I had days and nights where I was falling apart mentally, physically and sometimes emotionally. Thankfully I have a great partner by my side that pushes and motivates me every day and of course, hitting the gym and music has always been a big therapy in my life. Que viva el Rock!
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Xnana.la?
At Xnana, We focus on oaxacan-inspired Mexican cuisine. We specialize in Beef Barbacoa, Authentic tradition and modern techniques with a Los Angeles style. Our meat is marinated for 24 hours and braised for 6 hours with some Guajillo chiles, spices and avocado leaves. Our Barbacoa Consomé is an earthy smoky Broth, our Barbacoa takes you home to where you know it’s home, to those memories where you can almost taste home.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
Most important a special thank you to my Xnana for allowing me to use her recipes, my Xnana team the backbones thank you for believing in my ideas and craziness. To our loyal customers, purveyors thank you for all the support and everyone that has been involved in this journey/Dream! El señor Pulpo Calavera
Contact Info:
- Website: Xnana.la
- Instagram: Xnana.la
- Yelp: Xnana
