We can all be thankful for the mild weather recently this winter, but Spring is still a while off. So, it’s a good thing we have events like Mardi Gras and Valentine’s Day to look forward to – they’ll warm up the winter with tasty eats and good vibes to carry us on through until the trees start budding and the Spring bulbs start popping up and showing their colors.

“Calas belles, calas tout chauds!” (“beautiful rice fritters, hot rice fritters”) was the call of the Calas lady as she hawked her tasty nuggets of fried dough with rice on the streets of New Orleans late at night, way back in the late 19th century. Over time beignets became the favored fried dough of the Quarter, and pralines the late-night street sweet. One taste of Calas, though, and you’ll be wishing they were still part of the repertoire. Tasty long-forgotten foods are a passion of ours, so Calas are a natural for Big Jones. Like last year, we’ll be serving them up for Mardi Gras as a salute to the Creole heritage of New Orleans, and also serving a dressed-up-for-dinner version for an intimate Valentine’s dinner.

Mardi Gras Specials

Monday and Tuesday, February 15 & 16
regular menu available

Peacemaker the quintessential Mardi Gras sandwich, and the best way to enjoy fried oysters. A dozen select oysters fried crisp, on a baguette with remoulade slaw and pickles, served with fries   15

Muffuletta Chef Paul’s favorite, rustic sesame bread filled with Applegate Farms salami, house tasso, provolone, and olive salad, served with fries   15

Shrimp & Oyster Gumbo just like it sounds, with our house andouille, topped off with fried crab rice for an extra rich touch   19

Chile-Cheese Crawfish Etouffee the French Quarter classic, plus chilies and Cheddar, with popcorn rice   23

Jambalaya Chicken, sausage, ham, and vegetables steamed with rice and lots of spice   15

Red Beans and Rice pickled pork, ham, and sausage stewed with red beans, served with voodoo greens
and popcorn rice   15

Calas sweet wild-yeast rice fritters, dusted with powdered sugar   7

King Cake Sweet yeast cake filled with pecan butter and brown sugar.
If you get a king cake baby in your slice, you’ll win something special!   7

Valentine’s Day

Saturday and Sunday, February 13th and 14th
Five course tasting or three course prix fixe

Five Course Tasting

First
Gunthorp Farm duck rillettes, toasted baguette,
duet of house mustards, home made pickles

Second
Charleston she-crab soup, cornmeal biscotti,
winter truffle foam

Third
Living Water Farms lettuces, Puna Gardens hearts of palm,
blood orange, Three Sisters Garden pea shoots, black benne paste, ginger vinaigrette

Entrée, choice of
Seared Faroe Island Steelhead, potato galette, braised leeks, duet of broccoli,
Champagne “caviar,” beurre blanc
-or-
Niman Ranch NY Strip, butter-poached New Caledonia blue prawns & potatoes,
creamed spinach, red wine jus

Dessert, choice of
Rice calas, Port wine chocolate fondue, frozen Asian pear salad
-or-
Red velvet cake, cream cheese semifreddo, elements of White Russian

Three Course Prix Fixe

First
Living Water Farms lettuces, Puna Gardens hearts of palm,
blood orange, Three Sisters Garden pea shoots

Entrée, choice of
Seared Faroe Island Steelhead, potato galette, braised leeks, duet of broccoli,
Champagne “caviar,” beurre blanc
-or-
Niman Ranch NY Strip, butter-poached New Caledonia blue prawns & potatoes,
creamed spinach, red wine jus

Dessert, choice of
Rice calas, Port wine chocolate fondue, frozen Asian pear salad
-or-
Red velvet cake, cream cheese semifreddo, elements of White Russian