I wouldn't say I love Winter, but I will say I don't hate it. One of the main reasons why is because it's when Fat Tuesday happens, and that means cajun food. Lots and lots of cajun food.

As someone who really enjoys spicy food, cajun ranks up there as some of my favorite. I have a gumbo recipe at home and another for a shrimp "boil" you make in the oven that I'll make from time to time throughout the year. When the craving hits but I don't have a couple of hours to make homemade jambalaya, I'll pick up some smoked or andouille sausage and the boxed mix. I'm pretty sure it's loaded with preservatives, but I don't care. It's delicious.

As we get closer to Fat Tuesday in the Tri-State, several restaurants in the area will be getting into the Mardi Gras spirit by decking themselves out in the colors of the festival, handing out thousands of strands of beads, and of course, cooking up several Cajun favorites with special, limited-run menus to bring the flavor of the Big Easy to our backyard.

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Several of the establishments on this list have been offering Cajun favorites for years. The hard part will be picking which one to visit. Thankfully, the Mardi Gras celebration usually runs over the seven days leading up to Fat Tuesday, so you can stop by several of them.

15 Evansville Area Restaurants Serving Cajun Food for Mardi Gras

From boiled crawfish to raw oysters, po'boy sandwiches, shrimp etouffee, fried gator, gumbo, jambalaya, and more, you'll have plenty of options for getting a taste of New Orleans right here in the Tri-State.

Feast Your Eyes: 20 Tri-State Restaurants Diners Drive-Ins and Dives Should Feature

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