Best Mardi Gras dining experience: Name-your-own-cheese cheeseburger grilled at St James Cheese Company on Lundi Gras. A rich Roquefort melting on a medium rare burger is a special thing.

Worst Mardi Gras dining experience: Popeyes leftovers Sunday night. Out of chicken, they still sold their chicken nuggets. I didn’t find out until I got them home that they weren’t even the size of a half-dollar and they didn’t come with biscuits. The sort of dismal offering that should shame everyone involved.