10 Restaurants for Mardi Gras

LA Weekly Flickr pool/aalorber

crawfish boil at Dominick's

We think Paul Simon must have accidentally left out a few lyrics from "Take Me to the Mardi Gras." Sure, we love the "music in the street both night and day" and the chance to "jingle to the beat." But what about the celebratory New Orleans-style food and drinks? Jambalaya, gumbo, crawfish and etouffee. Hurricanes and Sazeracs.

Many restaurants offer this fare year-round. But Fat Tuesday, also called Mardi Gras, is one of the best times to indulge. Diners don fanciful masks and dress up in green, purple and gold (representing justice, faith and power, respectively). On this day, even the cheapest plastic beads will do. Partygoers venture out prepared to eat, drink and live it up -- whether or not they plan to follow Lent's strict prohibitions in the morning. "The people sing and play," and the "dancing is elite," as Simon sings. L.A. isn't New Orleans. But we do know a few good places that offer the appropriate foods or jubilant spirit. Check out our alphabetical list below, and let the good meals roll.

Anne Fishbein

Boiling Crab

10. Boiling Crab:
Why not celebrate the universal appeal of Mardi Gras at Boiling Crab, a Louisiana Cajun joint owned by Houston-raised Vietnamese? Their seafood is spicy, the crawfish and crab particularly noteworthy. Info: 742 W. Valley Blvd, Alhambra, (626) 576-9368; 33 W. Main St., Alhambra, (626) 300-5898; 18902 E. Gale Ave., #A, Rowland Heights, (626) 964-9300; 3377 Wilshire Blvd., #115, (213) 389-2722.

9. Bourbon Street Shrimp:
Pico Boulevard near the Westside Pavilion isn't exactly Bourbon Street in the New Orleans French Quarter. But you may find that Bourbon Street Shrimp's menu of classic Cajun dishes -- po' boy, jambalaya, gumbo, etouffee -- looks similar to its Louisianan counterparts. And yes, shrimp plays a significant role. Info: 10928 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, (310) 474-0007.

8. Cafe Brasil:
Americans often celebrate Mardi Gras with cuisine of the Big Easy, but Brazil's Rio de Janeiro is another city that takes the holiday seriously, with a weeklong festival widely considered the biggest and brightest on the world's streets. Hundreds of samba schools dance in parades, more than 400 parties invite revelers to sing and groove, and hundreds of thousands of participants (including 850,000 tourists this year, according to the Associated Press) join in the fun. Cafe Brasil, though lively, may seem tame by comparison. But it's still the taste of a country that knows how to party. Info: 10831 Venice Blvd, Los Angeles, (310) 837-8957; 11736 W. Washington Blvd., Mar Vista, (310) 391-1216.

7. Dominick's and Little Dom's:
What are two Italian restaurants doing with red beans and rice, barbecued oysters, gumbo, muffuletta, beignets and king cake on the menu? That's what you get with a New Orleans-born chef. For the week leading up to and including Fat Tuesday, Brandon Boudet pays homage to his roots and the memories of a day when "You wake up really early ... with the smell of fried food in the air." Info: 8715 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, (310) 652-2335 (Dominick's); 2128 Hillhurst Ave., Los Feliz; (323) 661-0055 (Little Dom's).

6. Harold and Belle's:
With its white tablecloths, starched napkins, lace curtains and flower bouquets, Harold and Belle's exudes simple elegance. Many see it as an iconic institution. The restaurant attracted more than 500 patrons for its 40th anniversary in 2009. For Mardi Gras, Harold and Belle's is selling two rum-laden Hurricanes for the price of one -- the perfect complement to smoked sausage, fried seafood, crawfish etouffee and oyster po' boys. Info: 2920 W. Jefferson Blvd., Los Angeles, (323) 735-9023.