Eat and drink New Orleans-style with these Mardi Gras specials

Delmonico Steakhouse

In the Venetian Las Vegas

3355 Las Vegas Blvd. S.

Ronnie Rainwater, an acclaimed Las Vegas chef and director of culinary operations at Delmonico Steakhouse and Emeril’s New Orleans Fish House, knows a thing or 20 about New Orleans cuisine and Mardi Gras culture.

“Anytime in New Orleans, with festivals and parades and all that, it’s always about the people — the soul that goes into the food, the love that goes into the food, the camaraderie between people,” Rainwater said. “People just enjoying life to its fullest.”

Delmonico Steakhouse will bring that sense of friendship and love of life to town on Tuesday with “Fat Tuesday” versions of classic Louisiana dishes updated with plenty of fresh seasonal produce, Rainwater said. He also noted that a much-loved, once-a-year dessert special caps off the restaurant’s celebratory menu: King cake.

“It’s a festive pastry,” he said.

Specials include:

Whole-roasted prawn served with Anson Mills grits and creole sauce

Fried green tomatoes served with crawfish remoulade, baby heirloom tomatoes and fresh chives

Fried oysters served with tasso, fennel-Pernod dressing, bacon lardons and pickled red onions

Pan-seared gulf snapper served with corn maque choux and herb vinaigrette

Creole seafood boil pasta served over housemade tagliatelle with littleneck clams, mussels, gulf shrimp, andouille sausage, and creole butter

Traditional king cake topped with caramel sauce, fresh berries and whipped cream

Make reservations at emerilsrestaurants.com.

Vegas Test Kitchen

1020 E Fremont St. #120

Downtown’s Vegas Test Kitchen will let the good times roll beginning Tuesday at 11 a.m. with a three-course brunch menu featuring Louisiana salmon croquettes, Creole jambalaya and bread pudding. Later, from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., a menu for two will bring on gumbo, shrimp po ‘boys, muffuletta pizza and sweet pies. Swinging live jazz music will be performed, and Mardi Gras appropriate costumes are encouraged. There’s even a free shot of Jameson Irish Whiskey as a reward for dressing up (21+). Purchase tickets at secretburger.com.

Lola’s Louisiana Kitchen

1220 N. Town Center Drive

It’s almost like Mardi Gras every day at this lively Summerlin eatery, but for Fat Tuesday, Lola’s is stepping up her menu with duck gumbo, boiled crawfish and Hurricanes, along with live tunes from Twice as Nice. Make reservations at 702-871-5652.

The Orleans Hotel & Casino

4500 W. Tropicana Ave.

And speaking of Hurricanes, the bright-red, rum-laden Crescent City cocktail will be poured at the Orleans for $9, complete with a fun souvenir cup ($5.25 without).

Lawry’s The Prime Rib

4043 Howard Hughes Parkway

Mardi Gras, of course, is a big hurrah before the more austere season of Lent beings on Ash Wednesday for many of Southern Nevada’s Christians. With an eye to the observant, Lawry’s The Prime Rib is offering weekly pescatarian dishes through mid-April; they are definitely not your typical Fish Sticks Friday dinner.

March 4 and April 8: Chilean sea bass with cauliflower

March 11 and April 1: Shrimp scampi

March 18: Roasted Atlantic cod

March 25: Salmon with spring peas and carrots

April 15: Roasted salmon with fingerlings and mustard butter

Make reservations at lawrysonline.com.