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Nola Restaurant And Bar 535 Ramona St, Palo Alto 650.328.2722 Flash and Dash Mardi Gras and other surprises By Suzanne Barnecut Dining at Nola's is a trip back to the French Quarter of New Orleans. Fashioned after a home, the restaurant is broken into small rooms and a central open-air courtyard, though it's really the bar that draws crowds of young professionals, spilling from two cozy rooms out onto the sidewalk. It can also be more like a party, as waiters have been known to gift Mardi Gras beads to large parties, those that order the house drink, and to the daring few who follow in the New Orleans spirit of Mardi Gras by ... flashing. Everything's good here: the food, the atmosphere, the drinks, the spirit. Hours: Mon-Sat 11:30am-last call, Sun 1:30pm-last call Crowd Age: 25-35 Music: Reggae, zydeco, Southern background music; no live music Décor: Southern folk-art paintings Signature Drink: Hurricane Dancing: "No, but don't be afraid. If you're here, we're not going to stop you!"--Chad Helton, General Manager Games/Amenities: No Listings by Geographical Location: Campbell | Cupertino | Los Gatos | Mtn. View | Peninsula | Central San Jose | San Jose 'Burbs | Santa Clara | Saratoga | South County | Sunnyvale | South County | Bar and Club Locator Features: Light's On, Door's Open: What makes a bar a favorite hangout the world over? One writer aims to find out. I'll Have What She's Having...: What's new and what's cool when it comes to the latest cocktail twists. Reviews: Senoritas and Margaritas: Left at Albuquerque--blame it all on Route 66. Scene Stealer: All the animals come out at night... to the Camera Cafe. Saddle Up: Sangria Restaurant, where sitting at the bar is a gripping experience. Retro Groovin': At the DancePlex. partygoers relive the '70s, '80s and... this morning! Flash and Dash: Mardi Gras and other surprises at Nola Restaurant and Bar. Knight Dreams: Black Watch--where swords cross and Stoli freezes over. United Nations: Lido's Nightclub, where world beat has a whole new meaning. Taste the Music: The Icon Supperclub is the new incarnation of the Edge. Mineral Wealth: Mining for meaning under the Cinebar's disco ball . In the Pink: All in a dogone day's work at the Pink Poodle. Rod's Roadstop: Britannia Arms at Almaden wears it well. [ San Jose | Metroactive Central | Archives ]