Chef Peter Sclafani to serve up special menu after returning from Mystick Krewe Ball in Washington DC
Mardi Gras will be here before you know it, and Ruffino’s wants to make sure its guests are properly prepared.
For the first time ever, both Ruffino’s on the River in Lafayette and the original Ruffino’s Restaurant in Baton Rouge are hosting festive and elegant Masquerade Wine Dinners to kickoff Mardi Gras season in style.
The events, scheduled for Sunday, February 23rd in Baton Rouge, and Tuesday, February 25th in Lafayette, will feature a special menu created by Chef Peter Sclafani along with a Mardi Gras-themed costume contest.
“Mardi Gras is obviously a special occasion for every true Louisianan, and it’s always been one of our favorite times of the year at Ruffino’s,” said Co-Owner Ruffin Rodrigue, who manages the front of the house and operations for the upscale Italian-Creole fusion restaurants. “This year, we wanted to do something extra special, so we’re encouraging our frequent diners and those who’ve never patronized us before to don their best Mardi Gras attire and join us for a festive evening featuring some of Peter’s signature dishes.”
The evening’s menu at Ruffino’s in Baton Rouge will feature lobster dumplings, Mardi Gras beet salad, Chappapeela Farms duck breast and 72-hour Creekstone Farms short ribs, with, naturally, a sinfully indulgent king cake to finish it off.
The menu at Ruffino’s on the River will feature king crab cake, Mardi foie Gras, crawfish boil gnocchi and short rib and bone marrow, with king cake panna cotta.
Throughout both of the Masquerade Wine Dinners, revelers will have their photographs taken and, with permission, posted to Ruffino’s Facebook pages. Ruffino’s fans will then be encouraged to vote for Best Dressed and Best Mask. Each winner will receive a prize.
Immediately prior to the special dinners, Rodrigue and Sclafani will be in Washington, DC, where Chef Peter will again showcase his culinary skills at the Mystick Krewe of Louisianans Mardi Gras Ball. This is the third consecutive year he will be treating Mardi Gras celebrants in the nation’s capital to some of Louisiana’s finest cuisine.
“It’s a great honor to be invited back to share some of our favorite seasonal dishes with our elected officials and other friends in Washington,” said Sclafani, Executive Chef and Co-Owner of Ruffino’s. “High-profile events like this are a great way to demonstrate that exceptional Louisiana cooking isn’t just limited to New Orleans. We think Baton Rouge and Lafayette deserve their fair share of the culinary spotlight, too!”
At the Mystick Krewe Ball scheduled for Saturday, February 22nd, at the Washington Hilton, Chef Peter will prepare his open-faced Louisiana oyster ravioli with vongole sauce and handmade ricotta cavatelli with Louisiana crawfish, corn and smoke tomatoes. The dining events are sponsored by the Louisiana Seafood Promotion & Marketing Board. Sclafani is a member of the organization’s Board of Directors.
To reserve a table at the Mardi Gras Masquerade Wine Dinner at Ruffino’s on the River at 921 Camellia Boulevard in Lafayette, call 337.706.7333 or visit www.RuffinosLafayette.com.
For reservations at Ruffino’s at 18811 Highland Road in Baton Rouge, call 225.753.3458 or visit www.RuffinosRestaurant.com.
