Visit these local restaurants for a taste of the New Orleans cuisine
If after the Mainstrasse Mardi Gras Parade in Covington, you are still seeking Mardi Gras celebrations, you can continue all week long with New Orleans, Louisiana (NOLA) cooking right here in Northern Kentucky.
Knotty Pine On The Bayou
Known for its Louisiana-style Cajun and Creole specialties, Knotty Pine is located in Cold Spring. Enjoy appetizers from Cajun shrimp boil to fried alligator to oysters and a wide variety of steak, seafood and chicken that can be ordered blackened, grilled or cajun grilled. Knotty Pine is open from 5-9 p.m. on Tuesdays through Thursdays and then open until 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
Purple Poulet
This Southern bourbon bistro, located in Newport, blends Charleston and New Orleans flavors, but also has a hint of Kentucky cuisine mixed in as well. It is known for its “Claim to Fame Fried Chicken,” Voodoo Salmon and Swamp Critter Gumbo. Additionally, the bar offers over 550 bourbon, ryes and other whiskey selections. It is open from 5-9 p.m. on Tuesdays through Saturdays.
Tousey House Tavern
In Burlington, another Southern cuisine classic offers comfort foods. They offer lunch and dinner menu items, but also brunch menu items, such as fried green tomatoes, cod sandwich and shrimp and grits. For lunch and dinner, the restaurant features Cajun shrimp, Alaskan halibut and Atlantic salmon, along with steak and fried chicken. It is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesday through Thursday, and until 10 p.m. on Saturday.
Going across the river, there are a couple of New Orleans based restaurants to take your Mardi Gras celebrations to downtown Cincinnati.
The SwampWater Grill
One of the local favorites for authentic Cajun food. They have a variety of food to offer from oysters to swamp starters to the bayou classics. Some of the swamp starters include gator bites, blackened shrimp skewers and hush puppies. On the bayou classics side, the menu has Voodoo Catfish, gumbo, jambalaya and more. They also serve other fried seafood and barbecue pork ribs. They are open from 3-9 p.m. on Tuesdays through Fridays and 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Saturdays.
BrewRiver Creole Kitchen
Stated as the “Best Creole Food in Cincinnati,” this restaurant has NOLA-inspired dishes from creole jambalaya to chicken and andouille gumbo to Louisiana alligator to everything else in between. Some of their main dishes include West Bank Mussels and shrimp po’ boy. BrewRiver is open from 4-9 p.m. on Wednesdays through Thursdays and open until 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
