Seafood and pizza king cake? Where to get non-traditional Mardi Gras treats on the Coast
It’s king cake season down here on the Coast, and we’re highlighting some places doing the most.
Some of these dishes are savory, and some are sweet.
Some you drink, and others you eat.
You’ve got ‘til Fat Tuesday (Feb. 25) to fill your stomachs.
So, we’d suggest you get off your buttocks.
Did we miss one of your favorites? Please let us know.
Here are some out-of-the-ordinary treats inspired by king cake to make your Carnival spirit flow.
King cake dessert pizza
It’s a sweet one, but Lost Pizza Co.’s version of the Mardi Gras treat comes on the restaurant’s normal thin-crust. A cake batter and cinnamon maple sugar is spread across the dough.
The pizza is run through the oven, then drizzled with a cream cheese icing.
Purple, green and gold sugar crystals are sprinkled across the dessert as a final touch, said owner Brad Elliott.
Price: A small is $6.99; A medium is $10.99, and a large is $12.99.
The Sue-Moa king cake
If you like girl scout cookies, this dessert is for you.
The Sue-Moa — a play on the Samoa cookies, also called Caramel DeLites — is a caramel cream-filled king cake topped with chocolate icing, toasted coconut and caramel icing.
Price: Call Le Bakery for more details, 228-436-0850.
Boudin king cake
Melissa’s Bakery in Gulfport and Now Dats Cajun Gourmet in Long Beach have a savory answer to the sweetness of the season with its boudin king cake.
Cajun Gourmet makes the the bloodless, smoked pork sausage, and Melissa’s puts a pound of it into their traditional king cake dough.
It’s baked and glazed with garlic butter before being cooled and frozen. And it comes with a separate side of pepper jelly to give the dish a little spice.
You’ll have to reheat it until the center of the cake reaches 155 degrees. Once it’s ready, spread the pepper jelly on top or use as a dip.
“It lasts about five minutes if you’ve got a crowd,” said Melissa Fischer, the owner of Melissa’s Bakery.
Price: The cakes are sold at Melissa’s and Cajun Gourmet for $29.99. Call before you go to make sure they are in stock.
Seafood king cakes
These inventions came from the mind of Tracy Borja, owner of Meme’s Grab and Go in Kiln, as she was playing around one Sunday afternoon a few weeks ago. The result is a combination of two of the Coast’s favorites.
The king cake dough is filled with a choice of either crab, crawfish or shrimp along with a stuffing.
It’s topped with a garlic cheese sauce and non-flavored colored flakes to give it that king cake look. You’ll see other Mardi Gras colors in the dish too — green and yellow bell pepper and purple onion, Borja said.
“It’s gone crazy,” she said. “I’ve only had one person ask me to mix them.”
Price: Medium ($15.99) and small ($8.99) cakes are available for pick up at the store. Large cakes ($32.00) must be ordered in advance. You could call before making a stop.
King cake at White Pillars
The mini king cake served at White Pillars in Biloxi may look like traditional king cake, but it’s filled with gourmet ingredients.
But the Biloxi restaurant doesn’t use artificial dyes or coloring on their dessert. Beets, carrots and mint give the cake its festive Mardi Gras colors.
The cake is an old-school French style, made with brioche dough. Inside, you’ll find Louisiana strawberries, and a scoop of cream cheese ice cream sits on top.
Price: $9.
King Cake milkshake
The Yard in D’Iberville, known for it’s over-the-top, Instagram-able milkshakes, has a cookies-and-cream base milkshake with king cake on top.
It’s big, rich and decadent. What more could you want?
Price: Call The Yard for more details, 228-967-7537.
King cake latte
The King Cake Latte at Biloxi’s Jacked Up Coffee Bar will jolt you awake.
The drink features a double shot of espresso and whole milk with a white chocolate sauce, hazelnut syrup and cinnamon powder. It’s topped with whip cream and Mardi gras-colored syrup.
If you want something to eat, Jacked Up also has a Mardi Gras monkey bread with strawberry or blueberry filling and topped with a cream cheese drizzle.
Price: The latte costs $5.25.
This story was originally published February 11, 2020 at 5:00 AM.