It seems all is well with New Orleans these days. The much beleaguered Saints have won the Super Bowl and the partying on Bourbon Street will continue straight on to Mardi Gras. Known in other parts of the world as Carnival, Mardi Gras season kicks off on the 16th, AKA Fat Tuesday (the name, derived from the practice of eating with gluttonous abandon before the ritual fasting of lent). Though Beijing locals will be celebrating their own holiday with a level of gusto that puts MG faithful to shame (albeit with similar amounts of alcohol), one local restaurant will be honoring the spirit of Fat Tuesday with an good ‘ole Creole feast.

Nola will be offering a RMB100 three course meal on Feb 16th that includes a hurricane cocktail and features many of its signature dishes. Starters include Parmesan fries, and Chicken Gumbo, while entrees consist of southern classics like chicken jambalaya and shrimp and grits. New Orleans desserts are really something special and Chef Brandon will be offering beignets (a Creole donut) or the great and mighty king cake. During Mardi Gras, the multi-colored, rolled cake takes on a life of its own and includes a small plastic baby figurine in each confection. Much like finding a coin in your dumpling, finding the baby in your slice of cake has its rewards and Brandon has promised prizes for the baby.

I love the spicy, earthy, hearty nature of Creole food and I certainly won’t miss the chance to enjoy it on a day where gluttony is the rule and not the exception.