Let the good times roll: Where to find pączki, Cajun food, music and more for Mardi Gras
It’s not called Fat Tuesday for nothing.
Mardi Gras, French for Fat Tuesday, is coming up next week. The day highlights indulgence in rich foods and lots of drinks and parties before the austerity and fasting of Lent, which begins on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 18.
If you can’t get down to New Orleans, area restaurants are ready to help you celebrate like you’re down in the Crescent City, with traditional pastries, food and drinks.
You’ve got to start with pączki. The traditional Polish deep-fried, dense yeast dough donuts are a staple of Fat Tuesday.
Central Continental Bakery in Mount Prospect is renowned for its pączki, and the bakery goes all out to celebrate with a six-day event Thursday, Feb. 12, through Fat Tuesday, Feb. 17. Choose from traditional, fruit and gourmet pączki. Orders must be placed by noon for next-day pickup.
Jarosch Bakery has been an area favorite for more than 60 years, and the bakery recently moved to a new location at 111 E. Higgins Road, Elk Grove Village. As of early this week, they were still working out some kinks and said the best way to order pączki would be in store. They have a dozen fillings from which to choose, including peach, pineapple and all the standard favorites.
Katie’s Kitchen in Des Plaines has 11 flavors of pączki from which to choose, including the usual favorites, plus apricot, cannoli, Nutella, pistachio and more. They’re available as boxes of three ($14.50), six ($27) and 12 ($54). Preordered pączkis can be picked up on Sunday, Feb. 15, or Tuesday, Feb. 17.
Palatine-based Morkes Chocolates is celebrating Fat Tuesday with handcrafted pączki available by preorder and with a limited amount available for walk-ins Tuesday, Feb. 17. Orders can by placed online, at (847) 359-3454 or in person. Local delivery options are available.
Stan’s Donuts is offering pączki with five different fillings (cannoli, chocolate or plain pastry cream, raspberry and strawberry) that can be purchased individually ($3.75) or in boxes (a half dozen is $20 and a dozen is $38.95). They’re available now through Feb. 17.
And then on to the main course.
Bluegrass in Highland Park is starting things off at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 15, with a Mardi Gras shrimp boil.
The boil, which is $85 per person, includes shrimp, andouille sausage, corn and potatoes, as well as shrimp bisque and shrimp bread, shrimp and andouille pasta and dessert. Beer from Tighthead Brewing in Mundelein and wine from Grgich Hills Estate will be served. Call (847) 831-0595 for reservations.
On Tuesday, Feb. 17, Hey Nonny in Arlington Heights will transform into full Mardi Gras celebration mode with live zydeco music and New Orleans-inspired cuisine.
Zydeco Voodoo performs at 7:30 p.m. with full-venue access across both the listening room and main dining room.
A New Orleans-inspired menu will be served in the dining room and at select premier listening room tables, featuring dishes including shrimp and grits, jambalaya, brisket lasagna and New Orleans-style affogato with chicory ice cream for dessert.
Tickets are $32 per person and are available at the website.
The Graceful Ordinary in St. Charles goes for “laissez les bons temps rouler” (let the good times roll) with a one-night-only lineup of Mardi Gras specials on Tuesday. Choose from hearth-seared Gulf shrimp with Calabrian chili butter; fire-roasted gumbo blanc with Tasso ham and okra ash; blackened redfish served with ember roasted cabbage and dirty rice croquette; and for dessert try the bananas-Foster-style beignets.
Shaw’s Crab House in Schaumburg is celebrating Mardi Gras from Thursday, Feb. 12, until Fat Tuesday with a limited-time menu inspired by the flavors of New Orleans. Specials include seafood gumbo, shrimp po’ boy, jambalaya, étouffée and char-grilled oysters, as well as classic cocktails like the hurricane and Sazerac. Enjoy live music in the Oyster Bar from 5-8 p.m. Tuesday.
Touché French Creole is ready to bring Mardi Gras in true New Orleans style to downtown Aurora on Fat Tuesday.
The celebration starts at 3 p.m. with happy hour, followed by dinner service at 4 p.m. and live music from Souled Out Thursdays. A special five-course tasting menu crafted exclusively for the event will feature Creole classics reimagined with a fresh touch. Reservations are available through OpenTable or their website.