Gather up your “krewe” this Tuesday, February 9th and head to the Little Easy in DTLA for a Mardi Gras festival fit for a Rex (King of the Carnival).

The New Orleans bar that brings the soul of the French Quarter to the heart of Downtown is pulling out all the stops for this traditional Southern Louisiana soiree, featuring food and drink specials, along with live music! Let the jovial jamboree begin with the 3-2-1 Special, featuring $3.00 Hurricane Shots, $2.00 Abita Beers and $1.00 Wings all day long.

Fancy an authentic French Quarter feast? Chef Travis will be serving up down-home Southern cooking from Cajun plates to spicy skillets. Snack on crisp-golden Hush Puppies made of deep-fried cornmeal and roasted corn bites served with a sweet honey dipping sauce or savor a saucy cast iron skillet of spiced Seafood Gumbo stewed with shrimp, crawfish, Andouille sausage and rice. Next, lounge with a little liquid from Bar Manager Ally DeVellis. Sip on Bourbon-Street-style cocktails like the elegant French Quarter 75 crafted with vodka, St. Germaine, lavender syrup, lemon juice and Champagne or savor the sassy and robust Sazerac with JP Wiser’s rye, Pernod absinthe and bitters.

Live Music keeps the jazzy jubilee going with Prohibition Era music from Big Bill’s Medicine Show and Dixie band headliner, Critical Brass. Forgot to wear your purple, green and gold? Little Easy has got it covered with traditional “throws” of beaded necklaces, doubloons, special t-shirts and more swanky swag giveaways. Make sure to get to Downtown L.A. early to ring in the Mardi Gras traditions of the “Big Easy,” with the Little Easy this Fat Tuesday!

Little Easy will be open on Mardi Gras, Tuesday, February 9th, 2016 from 12:00 Noon to 2:00 am; 216 West 5th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013; 213.628.3113; http://www.littleeasybar.com

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Spare Tire Kitchen & Tavern: Photos by acuna-hansen
New Orleans soul comes to life at mid-city hotspot Spare Tire Kitchen & Tavern this Mardi Gras for a special Fat Tuesday Bourbon Street Festival. Fill up on Southern soul-food specials and classic French Quarter cocktails while taking in Live Music from a brassy jazz Dixie Band, along with Carnival-clad Stilt Walkers and charming (and charmed) Magicians.

There is something for everyone on Executive Chef Isaias Peña’s special Mardi Gras Menu. From 4:00 pm to Close, indulge in a feast of down-home Louisiana style cooking, including Shared Dishes and Snacks like hot Cat Fish Po’boy Sliders for $12.00, spiced Cajun Crawfish for $10.00 per pound, traditional Jambalaya and Gumbo for $13.00 each and tasty Gator Meatballs for $14.00. Nibble on Southern Bayou Snacks like Collard Greens for $5.00, briny Oysters on the half shell at $3.00 a piece, Fried Okra and Fried Pickles for just $6.00 each, Red Peas & Rice for $7.00 and a classic French Quarter sweet treat; warm, doughy Beignets dusted powdered sugar for $6.00.

Festival-goers should keep in mind that the delectable dishes on the Mardi Gras Menu are the only plates that will be available from 4:00 pm to Close and the regular menu will not be on offer during this special event. Next, sip on a few hearty “Big Easy” libations from Bar Manager Melissa Taimanglo, who is pouring out Happy Hour Specials from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm, featuring $5.00 Select Beer, Wine & Well Drinks.

Next, get in the whiskey spirit, as Spare Tire Kitchen & Tavern offers an extensive list of over 120 different kinds of this rich caramel-colored Mardi Gras must-have sipper, including Breckenridge Bourbon from Colorado and Templeton Small Batch Rye, along with single malt scotches like the beloved 18 year old Laphroiag, the coveted Bruichladdich and The Laddie Ten Year Old to name a few. In addition, colorful beads, party favors and fun costume accessories will be handed out, while the black-and-white classic film, A Streetcar Named Desire will be playing in the background. A little Mardi Gras in the mid-city! The Fat Tuesday Bourbon Street Festival at Spare Tire Kitchen & Tavern is the place to be!
 
Spare Tire Kitchen & Tavern will be open on Mardi Gras, Tuesday, February 9th, 2016 from 11:30 am to 11:00 pm; 5370 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90036; 323.525.2618; http://www.sparetirepub.com