Mardi Gras Parties at Expatriate, The Parish, EaT Oyster Bar and More

It's Mardi Gras, and you've likely guessed that tonight Portland's Cajun joints like Acadia and Tapalaya will be pulling out all the stops with belly-busting feasts. But these places are getting in on the action, too.

Expatriate — Northeast's Expatriate is letting the good times roll with a Mardi Gras party starting at 9 p.m. tonight.  Expect expert variations on New Orleans classics like Hurricanes, Fizzes, and the Vieux Carre. And, according to the Facebook page, there wil be "non-New Orleans jazz band music, beads/incidental nudity, 3 King Cakes at 10 pm, more beads, and the debut of a brand new Expatriate menu item, our incomparable Jalapeño Popper."

EaT Oyster Bar and The Parish — Sister restaurants The Parish in the Pearl District, and EaT: An Oyster Bar on N. Williams are each throwing a big Mardi Gras party tonight. Together they'll have four bands playing jazz, dancing, a whole pig roast, and free limos going back-and-forth between the two places, because no one should be driving. The music kicks off at 4:30 p.m. at The Parish, and again at 7 p.m. At EaT there's music at 6:30 and 9 p.m.

Mississippi Avenue — Down enough pints at Ecliptic Brewing on N. Mississippi and you might find yourself stumbling along with the Misti Krewe of Nimbus tonight at 6:30 p.m. The Mardi Gras devotees are hosting their 5th annual parade down N. Mississippi Avenue and everyone is welcome to join. It all starts at the brewery and culminates with live music and dancing at Mississippi Pizza.

Le Pigeon — Upscale Le Pigeon is getting in on the Fat Tuesday action with a dessert special of buckwheat raspberry paczki (traditional polish doughnuts fried up on Fat Tuesday) with vanilla bean ice cream and a side of foie gras caramel.