Mr. Paul’s Supper Club Celebrates Mardi Gras All Year Long – Edina, MN

Jan 9, 2022 | eat/drink

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Duck and andouille gumbo at Mr. Paul’s Supper Club

Chris Emeott for Edina Magazine

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Chef Tommy Begnaud brings Creole classics to 50th and France: “If people are coming to spend their hard-earned money with us,

we’re going to make sure they have a damn good time!”

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The new Mr. Paul’s Supper Club jazzes up Edina’s dining scene with crawfish etouffee, homemade beignets, theatrical Sazeracs, and to-go po’boys.

The anticipated ode to New Orleans has opened, with Creole and Cajun accents across a comfort food menu full of steaks, chops, soups, and plenty of seafood (3917 Market Street). Mr. Paul’s is the brainchild of Louisiana lover and local chef Tommy Begnaud, whose cooking experience includes stints at Butcher and the Boar, Coup d’etat, Cafe Maude, Town Talk Diner.

For his breakout project, party starters include a relish and popover tray, oysters, crawfish gratin, boudin balls, andouille mussels. Heartier orders include short rib stroganoff, a whole lobster flanked with crab and crawfish, and duck breast dressed with dirty wild rice and mustard cream. A next-door sandwich shop called Mr. Paul’s Po’Boys and Jams opens Tuesday, December 14, with to-go po’boys and snacks like pimento cheese and deviled eggs.

A photo of a T-bone steak and other meaty mains. — Meaty mains include a New York strip, ribeye, and “fake” steak from Twin Cities’ own Herbivorous Butcher.

At Mr. Paul’s, Minneapolis mixologist vet Nick Kosevich (Bittercube, Earl Giles, Town Talk Diner) puts playful twists on New Orleans favorites like a Hurricane topped off with a glittery cherry garnish and a billowing Sazerac spritzed with his bottled “miracle” cocktail enhancer.

The exciting addition to the Nolan Mains development at 50th and France augments an already-bustling corner filled with wine bars, cafes, and options for French, Thai, and Tuscan fare.

A Hurricane topped with an umbrella and sparkly cherry. — A rum-filled Hurricane packs a punch at Mr. Paul’s Supper Club.

A flower-filled gin and tonic goblet. — The floral Bacchanal gin and tonic is named after the beloved Bywater bar in New Orleans.

The 7,000-square-foot supper club is named after Begnaud’s larger-than-life grandfather, a Louisiana legend who taught him the art of Southern hospitality growing up.

“My grandfather was known for his flair for the unexpected, and bringing people of all types together in community,” said Begnaud.

Mr. Paul’s Po’Boys and Jams carves out a takeout space for sandwiches overflowing with crawfish, shrimp, and fried chicken, along with offbeat options like cheese curds, spaghetti and meatballs, and tempeh.

A po’boy overflowing with shrimp at Mr. Paul’s Po’Boys and Jams. — A fried shrimp sandwich Mr. Paul’s Po’Boys and Jams.

The quick-serve lineup also includes savory sides like potato salad, slaw, and crinkle cut fries, plus soft serve ice cream, cookies, and homemade beignets for dessert. Starting this winter, the casual counter will host ticketed tasting dinners for 10 at a time.

Dinner at Mr. Paul’s runs 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday, and the takeout shop will operate 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Weekend brunch joins the mix in January, and big patio will go live next spring.

The whimsical look from Wittkamper Studio features feathery light fixtures and magenta-grouted flooring around a 16-seat chef’s table. Colorful archways covered in handmade cement tiles frame a big 40-seat bar.

Begnaud was most recently helming the kitchen at Butcher and the Boar, a downtown destination for bourbon and ample meat portions that closed during the pandemic after an eight-year run.