7 delicious ways to celebrate Mardi Gras at Minnesota restaurants

If the Super Bowl didn’t already have you thinking about all things New Orleans, then the city’s famous costumed, beaded holiday might get you over the line.

With Carnival season in full swing and peaking on Mardi Gras/Fat Tuesday (March 4 this year), it’s a time to revel in all things NOLA. And what better way to pay tribute than through the dishes made famous by the Big Easy.

We went in search of local places to get a great beignet, gumbo, king cake and beyond. One thing we found is that interpretations varied, from the density of a beignet to the intensity of a roux.

A range of styles is what you would expect when in New Orleans, as well, said Mateo Mackbee, chef/owner of the New Orleans-inspired Krewe restaurant in St. Joseph, Minn.

“A lot of these dishes are family-specific and region-specific,” said Mackbee, whose dishes are heavily influenced by his chef grandfather and his mom, who was born and raised in New Orleans. In the end, it all comes down to personal taste.

But if you’re looking for a starting point, here are local versions of New Orleans dishes that, for us, make the good times roll. We couldn’t think of a better way to get our Mardi Gras on.

The Uptown bakery with local and national accolades — most recently the “world’s best cinnamon rolls” — excels in baked sweet treats, and its mighty king cakes are our favorites around town. While it’s a New Orleans staple on Fat Tuesday, Isles Buns offers it year round (via pre-ordering by calling or ordering online). In Mardi Gras fashion, the kitchen uses its traditional sweet dough — the same one employed in their cinnamon and pecan rolls — that’s then braided and topped with cream cheese icing and sprinkles of purple, gold and green sugar. Isles Bun also follows the NOLA tradition of hiding a plastic baby, considered a good luck charm to the person who gets the piece with it, inside the cake. (Nancy Ngo)

$39, feeds 10-12; 1424 W. 28th St., Mpls., 612-870-4466, islesbun.com

Wait, does this weigh anything? That was our impression when picking up these light and pillowy beignets at this French bistro. We fanned out at several restaurants when on beignet duty and, while others were satisfying, they proved to be more dense. The ones found on the brunch menu (10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays) at this southwest Minneapolis eatery came closest to the ones fondly remembered when in New Orleans. Also referred to as a “French doughnut,” these square-shaped beauties come out of the kitchen golden, springy, soft, airy and topped with the essential ingredient of powdered sugar. (N.N.)

Two for $10 or four for $16; 5003 Bryant Av. S., Mpls., stgmpls.com

Get the technique right, and these round cornmeal fritters can pay off with a golden crispy exterior and an airy, soft center. Such is the case at Tap In Kitchen & Cocktails, where the north Minneapolis restaurant’s well seasoned batter ladles into perfectly round spoonfuls before being dropped into hot oil. The kitchen’s solid execution brings out the best in sweet corn, the flavor remaining prominent even after it hits the fryer. That’s thanks to the use of whole kernel batter that adds texture and flavor at the same time. The hush puppies are then tossed in house honey sauce, like a sweet and a little savory icing on the cake. While here, order the crisp, juicy dry-rub wings, smoky collard greens and all-grown-up mac and cheese that are just as delicious. (N.N.)

$5 for 10 pieces; 2618 Lowry Av. N., Mpls.; tapinmn.com

This bowl is everything wonderful about a backyard crab boil, but in wing form. Inside his downtown restaurant, chef/co-owner Gerard Klass created a dish that satisfies his longing for a boil, even on the coldest Minnesota winter day. While it’s listed as an appetizer, servers won’t bat an eye if you order this as a one-person dish. Highly seasoned chicken wings are bathed in Cajun butter alongside sausage, potatoes and hunks of corn. Spritz with fresh lemon juice and every bite is zesty, rich and satiating, with the added bonus of being best eaten with your hands. (Joy Summers)

$20; 428 S. 2nd St., Mpls., klassicsmn.com

Chef Mateo Mackbee’s secret to red beans and rice is part ingredients, part technique. It starts with a brand of red beans beloved in New Orleans for its texture and creaminess that Mackbee purchases in bulk. The beans are soaked overnight along with turkey legs and creole seasoning before they get boiled the next day. Eventually red beans, ham, andouille sausage, celery and onions are added. Mackbee has tending the red beans down to a science so they open up just in time to render a creaminess and release flavor while maintaining a bit of texture for this comfort dish carried out with precision. (N.N.)

$21; 24 College Av. N., St. Joseph, Minn., krewemn.com

Gumbo is soul-sustaining and deeply personal. There are as many versions of this stew as there are Louisiana kitchens and, true to form, this one is a legacy passed along generational lines. The scoop of potato salad on top is a family tradition, chef/owner Tommy Begnaud explained. “My grandfather always served his gumbo that way,” said the founder of Mr. Paul’s Supper Club in Edina. The restaurant is an ode to Begnaud’s grandfather, a true Louisiana character whose art hangs on the walls of this spacious eatery. The gumbo begins with a toasty roux, the holy trinity (onions, celery, bell peppers) and savory hunks of andouille sausage along with rice brought up from the South just for this dish. The potato salad is actually a lovely balance of cool and creamy to the hot and spicy stew. It’s the sort of meal that will stick with a body all day long, and leave a craving for the next bowl deep in your bones. (J.S.)

$9 cup/$15 bowl; 3917 Market St., Edina, mrpaulssupperclub.com

Dinner and a show. That’s what you get when you order tableside Bananas Foster, whether at Brennan’s, the New Orleans institution that created the dessert, or at Lagniappe, Minneapolis' newest ode to the cuisine of the Crescent City. A cart comes rolling over with a hot plate and a handler to do the work of making brown sugar caramel, spiking it with rum and setting it ablaze. The bananas just warm through in that richly sweet sauce, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream balances it out. It’ll feed the whole table. It’s far from the only classic New Orleanian dish on the menu this Mardi Gras. King cake slices, drink specials, beads and brass band music on the speakers will greet guests on March 4. But anytime is a good time for Creole and Cajun flavors, and in addition to dinner Tue.-Sat., and Saturday brunch, Lagniappe also just launched lunch 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Tue.-Fri. (Sharyn Jackson)

$20; 2708 E. Lake St., Mpls., lagniappeonlake.com