Viand's Mardi Gras Philanthropy

By Chuck Sudo in Food on Jan 27, 2006 5:30PM

So far it’s been a blessed start to 2006: faced with the prospect of high heating gas prices we instead got a mild winter. Thank you, Big Oil. We’ll wait for our rebate in March. Now the carnivale season is getting underway. So it’s also heartening to know that down in New Orleans they’re moving forward with the celebration of the pre-lenten season, if not Mayor Ray Nagin’s goal of a “chocolate New Orleans” (a vision we wholly support. Hell, Chicagoist sometimes feels like we could stand for some flavor around here).

That said, not all in the Crescent City is bread and circuses. They still need a lot of help down there and lord knows the Feds are paying only lip service. The folks at Viand Bar and Kitchen are stepping up to the plate. Beginning next Wednesday through the end of February, $2 from their Mardi Gras-inspired cocktail menu will be earmarked as a donation to the American Red Cross Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund (a list of the drinks, priced at $11, is available after the jump).

Viand is also holding its variation of a jelly bean contest, only with Mardi Gras beads. A jar in the front of the restaurant will be filled with beads; guests will be encouraged to guess the number of necklaces in the jar. The one who comes closest to guessing the correct amount will win the beads and dinner for two at Viand. Flashing your tits will not get you the beads, although it might get you a free dinner.

The following is the listing of Viand's Mardi Gras cocktail menu for February. All are listed at $11 except for the hurricane:

Fat Tuesday
Smirnoff Orange, Smirnoff Citrus, strawberry mango juice, pineapple juice and fruit punch

Voodoo Magic
Absolut Vodka, blackberry brandy and Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur

Mississippi Sludge
Absolut Vodka, Baileys and Dulseda

Viand Hurricane
Bacardi, Malibu, Captain Morgan, blackberry brandy, mango juice, Sierra Mist and fruit punch ($5).