Mix Me Somethin’ Mister

 

Attention Mardi Gras revelers! By now many of us are experts on how to get around town and maneuver through the Carnival road blocks and closures. It takes pre planning and a strategic mindset to get where we are going. So the question is: where are we drinking this year?

Lula Distillery (1532 St. Charles Ave.) is offering a twist on its Planters Punch. This punch is a fabulous drink with local iced tea and their house made rum. While the punch is always on the menu, what’s exciting during Carnival is that bartenders are offering a large size for our drinking pleasure. In addition to the Planters Punch, you can also get the cucumber infused Vodka Collins and the Bloody Mary, both of which are created using house-made ingredients. The small will run you $9 and the large costs $12. Lula is also offering four Mardi Gras themed beers on tap. Options include Southern Prohibition Typical Tuesday, Nola Muses, Abita Mardi Gras Bock and Port Orleans Bacchus Blonde. They are $6 all day, everyday though Carnival. “We have a full time bar prep person who works through Mardi Gras," said Megan Thomas, Lula general manager. "We make our cocktails fresh everyday so we are ready and can guarantee that you’re going to get the same delicious cocktail every time. You can even buy bottled cocktails here, just ask us about it.”

Hot Tin and Bayou Bar at the Pontchartrain Hotel (2031 St. Charles Ave.) are offering specialty Mardi Gras cocktails. It’s fun to ask for the King Cake Milk Punch downstairs at the Bayou Bar. The King Cake syrup and the HooDoo Chicory Liqueur really make this drink festive and fun. If your feeling fancy, upstairs at Hot Tin, try the Rex and Death drink. Not only are the drinks here fantastic, the the view is hard to beat. It’s on the parade route and you can get in on the action from above and below… with drink in hand, of course.

Meril (424 Girod St.) offers revelers four specialty Carnival cocktails. Options include, Come Hell or High Water with watermelon vodka and vanilla. The Neutral Ground Side with gin, star anise, blackberries and lemon juice. The 504 cocktail has rhum agricole, creole shrub, pineapple, citrus, honey and peppers. Don’t forget to try the Carnival Cooler, which has rum, apricot purée, lavender and citrus. These festive drinks are available all day, everyday until Mardi Gras is over. Each cocktail is priced at $12. If you are feeling really ambitious, ask for Miki’s Flambeaux Punch. It is sure to please.

Emeril’s (800 Tchoupitoulas St.) This classic spot is rolling out a full menu of Mardi Gras cocktails. The team here loves to create festive drinks we can all enjoy. Among the drink selections includes: The Throwback Sazerac, Bloody Mary, Muses Green Mary, the Berry Bacchus and the King Cake Coquito.

These are, of course, just a few places offering Carnival cocktails. But as you are partying your way through New Orleans remember to celebrate responsibly and pass a good time.

 

 

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