Taste of the Big Easy in RVA: Where to find Mardi Gras food, fun (2024)

Colleen Curran

Let the good times roll. It’s almost Fat Tuesday.

(This year, Fat Tuesday falls on Feb. 13, the day before Valentine’s Day.)

If you’re looking to get into the Big Easy spirit, here’s where you can find king cake, crawfish and more.

King cake

Ukrop’s Homestyle Foods has been making king cakes for over 44 years, since the 1980s. The demand grows every year and, this season, Ukrop’s will be producing around 6,500 cakes.

All Ukrop’s king cakes are made from scratch and made by hand. The Danish dough is made with a cinnamon filling, topped with icing and decorated with purple-, green- and yellow-colored sugar for Mardi Gras. A baby is included with every cake so that customers can hide it, as is tradition.

Ukrop’s king cakes can be found in Mid-Atlantic Kroger Stores, Libbie Market and Harris Teeters in Williamsburg as well as Ukrop’s Market Hall (7250 Patterson Ave.). Select Food Lion locations will offer the cakes this weekend. The last day for the cakes in store is Fat Tuesday, Feb. 13. You can also place an order at ukropshomestylefoods.com.

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Montana Gold Bread Co.’s (3543 W. Cary St.) king cake is filled with cinnamon and butter, topped with vanilla icing and the Mardi Gras colors ($23.99). Your best bet to get your hands on a hot king cake is to place an order 24 hours in advance. It tries to keep a few in-store for purchase, but they go fast. Call (804) 359-7700 to reserve yours.

Up All Night Bakery (1221 Bellevue Ave.) in Bellevue is also offering its take on a homemade, from scratch king cake ($24).

Early Bird Biscuit Co. (119 N. Robinson St.) has whipped up a stunning king cake for Fat Tuesday. You can order ahead for the full size ($25); baby-size versions will be available on a first come, first served basis.

Taste of New Orleans pop-up

Natalie’s of Lebanon is hosting a Taste of New Orleans pop-up dinner with a seven-course tasting menu including charbroiled oysters, a Louisiana crawfish boil, Creole gumbo and co*cktails for purchase from The Verdant Lady. $65. Tuesday, Feb. 13. 5 p.m. 2825 Hathaway Road.

Gumbo

Parterre: The Southern restaurant at Linden Row Inn serves a classic chicken and andouille sausage gumbo over rice ($19) or add shrimp for $7. Parterre also serves beignet-like crafted doughnuts tossed in powdered sugar and served with chocolate sauce ($7). 100 E. Franklin St.

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Manchu: This take-out spot in Brookland Park serves New Orleans fried chicken wings, shrimp po’boys, and chicken and beef sausage gumbo with okra, onions and rice ($7.49). 2914 North Ave.

The Boiling Crab: While crab and seafood boils are its specialty, The Boiling Crab also serves gumbo ($7) and crabber fries. The California-based restaurant opened its first location in Richmond last year. 2053 W. Broad St.

The Speakeasy Grill: Located at the Hippodrome Theater, The Speakeasy is open for Sunday brunch only and serves a New Orleans-style gumbo with shrimp, yardbird and sausage cooked fresh to order and served with rice ($9), as well as shrimp and grits, fried oysters and a cornbread basket. 526 N. Second St.

Crawfish and beignets

Live Crawfish & Seafood serves crawfish platters and beignets year-round, as well as seafood boils and raw or steamed oysters. Two locations: 9020 W. Broad St. and 7531 Midlothian Turnpike.

Mardi Gras events

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Busch Gardens Mardi Gras: Busch Gardens Williamsburg is going all-in on the Big Easy theme with a Bourbon Street Brigade, stilt walkers, bayou-inspired cuisine and a cirque show in the Globe Theatre, plus roller coasters and New Orleans decorations throughout the villages. New Orleans dishes include seafood gumbo, bourbon pecan bread pudding and a crawfish boil. Through March 3. Single-day tickets starting at $53.99 online.

Top five weekend events: Snowball Festival, Chocolate Fest, and Galentine's Market

Snowball Festival

Taste of the Big Easy in RVA: Where to find Mardi Gras food, fun (5)

Chocolate Fest

Taste of the Big Easy in RVA: Where to find Mardi Gras food, fun (6)

Virginia Opera: 'Sanctuary Road'

Taste of the Big Easy in RVA: Where to find Mardi Gras food, fun (7)

Galentine’s Market at Hardywood

Taste of the Big Easy in RVA: Where to find Mardi Gras food, fun (8)

Super Bowl watch parties

Taste of the Big Easy in RVA: Where to find Mardi Gras food, fun (9)

Colleen Curran (804) 649-6151

ccurran@timesdispatch.com

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Taste of the Big Easy in RVA: Where to find Mardi Gras food, fun (2024)

FAQs

What is traditionally eaten on Fat Tuesday? ›

What are some foods traditionally eaten on Fat Tuesday? Depending on your tradition, religion, or culture, people enjoy a variety of foods on Fat Tuesday, including pancakes, king cake, jambalaya, or a crawfish boil. Individuals consume foods high in fat and sugar to prepare for Lenten fasting.

What are you supposed to do on Fat Tuesday? ›

This holiday is most commonly celebrated by eating rich and fatty foods before the Lenten season begins. During Lent, people abstain from eating meat historically.

What are 3 other foods outside of King's cake associated with Mardi Gras? ›

  • King Cake. This delicious and traditional cake is a staple for the Mardi Gras season. ...
  • Crawfish Étouffée. Though significantly harder to find in Athens, crawfish étouffée is a very traditional dish in Cajun and Creole cuisine. ...
  • Dirty Rice. ...
  • Po' Boy. ...
  • Jambalaya. ...
  • Crawfish Boil. ...
  • Pancakes.
Feb 12, 2018

What is the difference between gumbo and jambalaya? ›

Gumbo is really a soup or stew that's often served over a little rice, while jambalaya is made with the rice cooked into the dish, making the grain an integral part of it. In gumbo, there should be more liquid than rice, while jambalaya should not be liquid-y or mushy. "Jambalaya is a way to cook rice.

What to pair with red beans and rice? ›

What to Serve With Red Beans and Rice. Red beans and rice is a versatile recipe that can act as a main or side dish. The big, hearty flavors pair well with foods like cornbread, collard greens, barbecued meats, and fried chicken.

What do Cajuns eat on Fat Tuesday? ›

17 Mardi Gras Recipes to Help You Celebrate Fat Tuesday
  • 01 of 17. Vegetarian Gumbo. Sidney Bensimon. ...
  • 02 of 17. Quick Jambalaya. ...
  • 03 of 17. Shrimp Maque Choux. ...
  • 04 of 17. Sazerac. ...
  • 05 of 17. Fish Po' Boys. ...
  • 06 of 17. Seafood Gumbo. ...
  • 07 of 17. Bananas Foster. ...
  • 08 of 17. Muffaletta.
Feb 7, 2023

What can you not eat on Fat Tuesday? ›

What can you not eat on Fat Tuesday? There are fasting guidelines on Ash Wednesday and throughout Lent, but Fat Tuesday generally does not have restrictions on what to eat.

What do Catholics eat for Fat Tuesday? ›

Traditional Fat Tuesday Meals

Many celebrations include donuts, pancakes, and Polish Pączki. One popular favorite food item is Mardi Gras King Cake—a delicious cake with a small plastic baby hidden inside, representing the baby Jesus.

Do you eat King Cake on Fat Tuesday? ›

King Cake is a frosted seasonal treat usually eaten between January 6, known as King's Day or Twelfth Night, and Fat Tuesday. The name King Cake is derived from the Three Wise Men in the Bible, who came bearing gifts for the newborn Jesus on the Twelfth Night.

What do Mexicans do on Fat Tuesday? ›

People dress is masquerade outfits complete with masks while enjoying food, alcohol, and other drinks. People of all ages take part in the celebrations and throw cascarones that break open. Cascarones are eggshells filled with confetti.

Do you eat pancakes on Fat Tuesday? ›

Gregory prohibited Christians from eating all forms of meat and animal products, including dairy, during the 40 days of Lent. Christians abided by the rule and made pancakes on Shrove Tuesday in order to use up their supply of butter, milk, and eggs before Ash Wednesday.

Why do you leave the knife in the king cake box? ›

after every time it was used, the amount of water usage would put the habitat. of these endangered pelicans at risk. So by keeping the knife in the box, you're not only keeping your king cake fresh. and cutting back on your portion size, but you're also saving the lives of these pelicans.

What does krewe stand for? ›

A krewe is, simply, a club or organization that exists to celebrate Carnival. But while a krewe has royalty, the positions of king and queen are merely ceremonial. The identities of the queen and her maids are usually public, while the identities of kings are often secret—Rex being a notable exception.

What is the famous dessert in New Orleans? ›

Beignets were first introduced to the city by the French-Creole colonists in the 18th century. The concept is simple – dough is fried then covered with mounds of powdered sugar – but the result is extraordinary.

What do Christians eat on Fat Tuesday? ›

Pancakes are associated with Shrove Tuesday, the day preceding Lent, because they are a way to use up rich foods such as eggs, milk, and sugar, before the fasting season of the 40 days of Lent.

Do you eat meat on Fat Tuesday? ›

Fat Tuesday is the last day before Lent — which kicks off with Ash Wednesday — and historically was when Christians would prepare a large feast to use up meat and supplies they would abstain from until Easter, KTLA sister station WCMH reports.

Can we eat meat on Fat Tuesday? ›

As a last hurrah before fasting for the six weeks of Lent, Fat Tuesday is usually marked by celebrations and indulgence. As Mandelkow explains, some use the day as a chance to “clear their homes of any delicious and perishable foods” so as not to waste any while they abstain from meat, dairy, and sugar. Fr.

What is eaten on Fat Thursday? ›

During Fat Thursday, people would meet their friends and relatives and eat large quantities of sweets, cakes, and other meals that usually not eaten during Lent. Among the most popular all-national dishes served on that day, you should not miss your chance to enjoy pączki and faworki.

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