 | BY JABEZ BERNIARD | Staff writer |
Greetings, New Orleans food fans! This week, it's all about the Lunar New Year. Ian McNulty travels back to his first Tet Festival in preparation for this year's food and festivities. Want to participate in the celebrations? Miss Shirley's has a special lunch and dinner menu in honor of the new year. And NOLA Nite Market has you covered with a street-food festival on the West Bank. In other news, we're still eating king cake. Try this chocolate babka king cake or carnival ice cream sandwich. Plus, Girl Scouts' cookies are back, Gris Gris now has to-go, and Fresco Café has pizza and more. Finally, food writer Liz Williams has simple recipes for parades, parties and potlucks. 1. Lunar New Year. In this festival-filled city, it may be hard to keep track of them all; however, Ian McNulty remembers everything about his first Tet Festival celebrating the Vietnamese Lunar New Year. 2. Special menus and celebrations. The Lunar New Year was Jan. 22, but the celebrations continue around the city through February with a special menu at Miss Shirley's Chinese Restaurant and NOLA Nite Market's Lunar New Year event. 3. Wait! There's more. Ian McNulty explains why you should add Dakar NOLA to your fine dining bucket list and continues to add to his king cake notebook with babka king cake and ice cream sandwiches. Girl Scouts kick off a new cookie-selling season. Meanwhile, Jabez Berniard gets a history lesson at Fresco Café and Pizzeria and takeout from Gris Gris to Go Go. 4. Carnival ready. Parade-friendly meals are being whipped up in Liz Williams' kitchen as she prepares for Carnival parties and potlucks. Her meatless lasagna is excellent served cold, and her recipe for sidewalk-side pasta is made with ingredients you likely have on hand. Plus, her portable bread pudding is baked in individual muffin liners, and is perfect for when you're on the go. That's it for the food newsletter, but the food news never stops in New Orleans. Keep up with all the inside info on Where NOLA Eats. P.S.: Want to support local journalism that matters? Subscribe here. It's our best deal! | 
