Celebrate Mardi Gras at these NOLA-fied restaurants

By: Katie Goncalves | February 13, 2023
Traditional cajun red beans & rice

Traditional cajun red beans & rice

Jambalaya, gumbo, po’boys, and étouffée. If these words strung together have your mouth watering and dreaming of roaming the streets of New Orleans, you aren’t alone. The cuisine in New Orleans is unlike anything else in the entire world: spicy, flavorful, seafood-heavy, and made with a lot of soul. It might not make the most sense to hop on a plane whenever you feel like fixing your cajun food craving. Lucky for us, there are some wonderful New Orleans-inspired restaurants right here in Metro Detroit. Here’s where to get the best dishes: 

Bayou Grill

The Bayou Grill has deep roots in cajun and creole cuisine and the menu definitely shows it. They have dishes unique to New Orleans such as Oysters Bienville, Alligator Voodoo, and catfish beignets.

 

Beignets 2 Go 

For the perfect breakfast or sweet treat, you have to stop at Beignets 2 Go. This food truck is typically parked at Eastern Market but can also be found in other locations around Metro Detroit. Simple, fried dough covered in a mountain of powdered sugar; nothing is better than that.  

Bistro Orleans

Stepping inside Bistro Orleans is as close as you can get to being in New Orleans without leaving town. Their generational recipes keep people coming back for more. Highlights from the menu include Boudin Balls, Fried Frog Legs, and Muffaletta Salad. Don’t forget to save room for some Bananas Foster bread pudding for dessert! 

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Fishbone’s

Detroit, St. Clair Shores, and Southfield

Fishbone’s is an entire New Orleans experience right here in Metro Detroit. Everything from the food to the live jazz music will immediately transport you to the Big Easy. Their endless menu captures the classics: crawfish étouffée, po’boys, Oysters Rockefeller and traditional New Orleans-style BBQ shrimp. 

New Orleans-style BBQ shrimp
New Orleans-style BBQ shrimp

Howe’s Bayou

Touting themselves as “New Orleans in Ferndale,” Howe’s Bayou has a great blend of American and Cajun food types. The menu highlights an extensive list of po’boy sandwiches as well as three different types of étouffée. For the full experience, get the Sazerac cocktail, a cognac libation from New Orelans.

Louisiana Creole Gumbo

If you’re looking for OG-style New Orleans cuisine then you have to head to Louisiana Creole Gumbo. They follow recipes that are more than 100 years old for their Creoles, gumbos, and jambalayas. They also serve traditional Southern staples like red beans, rice, cornbread, and fried catfish.

 

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