How to celebrate Mardi Gras:

        • Start with an order of beignets at Apple on Elm (formerly Blue Wolf Bistro at Eighth Street, downtown). These square fried doughnuts get pretty close to the ones at Cafe du Monde in New Orleans. They have a puffy but substantial texture, airy inside, crispy outside, with lots of powdered sugar that gets up your nose and on your clothes.621-6512.

        • A few blocks down Elm, Jim Adams is the new executive chef at the Millennium Hotel, Elm and Sixth streets. He came here from New Orleans, and he's put some south Louisiana specialties on the menu at Bistro on Elm, the hotel's restaurant. They include little crawfish pies, a muffuletta and a fried shrimp po' boy. 352-2188.

        • There's a new New Orleans Sunday brunch at the Grand Cafe in the Hilton in Florence (Turfway Road at I-75). It's served from a menu, and includes an appetizer, a choice of brunchy or lunchy dishes — eggs Sardou, grillades and grits, jambalaya, seafood crepes — all with lobster-potato hash. Then there's a dessert buffet featuring bananas Foster and crepes Suzette. No matter what you choose, it costs $12.95. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday. (859) 371-9779.

        • Chateau Pomije, the wine store/cafe on Madison Road in O'Bryonville, has wine tastings every week on Tuesday or Wednesday. For Mardi Gras this Tuesday, it will be Cajun food and French wines. 871-8788.

        Paxton's Grill on the bike trail in Loveland will have Mardi Gras specials all day, including popcorn shrimp, fried crawfish salad, shrimp etouffe, seafood gumbo and chicken and andouille jambalaya. There will be hurricanes and Dixie beer to drink, and bananas Foster and king cake. 583-1717.

        • Sample food from many restaurants, including Mitchell's, Scalea's and Sonoma, at a Mardi Gras party 6:30-10 p.m. Tuesday at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center in Covington. The fund-raiser for homeless children is sponsored by the Northern Kentucky Restaurant Association.Tickets: $35. Information: (859) 291-6572.

        • Eat at one of the established Louisiana-flavored restaurants: Redfish, downtown, which has live music and good gumbo; Knotty Pine on the Bayou in Cold Spring, with a roadhouse atmosphere; Copeland's of New Orleans in Deerfield Township, a chain from New Orleans; or Dee Felice at Covington's MainStrasse, with live jazz and French Quarter atmosphere.

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