MudBuggin' in Houston

Ok Folks, I loooooovvvve to eat crawfish!  Like not just love, but LOVE!!!!!!

I remember when I was 8-9, back in Long Beach, Miss’sippy, my cousins, friends and I would fish for mudbugs in the ditch in front of our apartment complex.  We actually unhinged the screening from our windows to use as nets!  Lol!  I often wondered how many other Mississippi chilluns did this!

We NEVER ate them!  They were filthy!  And from a ditch!  My mama would’ve put a hurtin’ on my butt if I had tried to eat one of those suckers! Makes me laugh to think about how something so dirty has become such a food craze in the south—everywhere really!

Crawfish season typically runs from March through about June.  From August to February, the shells are quite hard and not very easy to peel.  The actual crawfish season begins in the spring, so this is actually the PEAK TIME for plump, meaty crawdads!!!

Here is a list of my favorite CRAWFISH DIVES in Houston!  There is only one on this list that I have not tried yet, but because of all the fabulous word of mouth (from experts like myself ;), I think it will be great!

Cajun Corner

photo provided by YELP!

For the longest time, I refused to go anywhere else because the garlic flavor at this joint is ridiculously good!  It also wins in my book because of the seafood fried rice!  They use a generic store-bought sausage in their boil, but I am convinced that my shoe would taste great covered in their Garlic Sauce!  When in season, the crawfish is a good size and for $6.99/lb , it is a great deal.  I think the price goes up around the peak so it may be $7.99/lb.

LA Fisherman

I visit this restaurant quite often (may have to do with a certain little lady name Katie, who is the boss around those parts)!  LA has a KABLAM sauce that is incredibly flavorful.  I have to admit, I cannot handle it, it is too spicy! 

Yes, I have shed a few tears and dribbles of snot trying to survive the spicy heat! What I like most on the menu is the snow crab legs and their boiled shrimp NEVER disappoint! 

I like to make my own “fried rice” when I visit, give me a bottle of maggi, some steamed rice, a few shrimp and snow crab legs to peel and VOILA, it’s seafood fried rice, CUC’ed  and yummy!



Crawfish & Noodles

photo provided by YELP!

This place is located in the Kim Son shopping center on Bellaire.  What is most impressive about Crawfish & Noodles is the SIZE of their crawfish never disappoint!  OMG, they are huge!  They have a garlicky  butter sauce that is pretty good as well, not as good as Cajun Corner!  I have a suspicion that there is a big French influence in their cooking style.  Lot s and lots of butter . . . a bit too rich for me, but still very good!  They have a pretty extensive Asian menu so if you’re really adventurous, you can try one of their Vietnamese dishes!

The Cajun Stop

photo provided by YELP!

Lisa boils em’ up right at the Cajun Stop!  I’ve only had the crawfish here once but it was pretty delicious!  Wish it wasn’t so far!!!  They always have great daily happy hour deals for crawfish (sometimes as low as $5/lb).  OhhhEmmGeee - her Poboys are delish!  The Surf N Turf makes my mouth water!  It is authentic Nawlins flavored crawfish!

LA Crawfish

photo provided by YELP!

 This is the only place on my list that I do not have first-hand knowledge of!  Their YELP! Reviews are great and the pictures look so yummy!  I’ve actually been told my many of my friends and family that this place rocks!  So I will definitely try it soon!  Maybe with Ms. Jimmie and John on our CRAWFISH CRAWL!!!!! ;) 

88 Boiling Crawfish & Seafood

This is the newest addition to my list . . . they won me over with great service from a friendly, attentive staff!  The big porch area with running multicolored Christmas lights is quirky charming!  Now, getting to the crawfish . . . it was 88 SPECIAL!  The 88 special flavor is the one to go with (a combination of garlic butter, Cajun and lemon pepper seasoning).  They had fabulous fried rice and you cannot leave without trying their home-made boudin balls!!!  SO delicious!  Also, soooo close to home, it is a shoo-in for my new favorite seafood dive!  You can read my full review of this place on YELP!

There it is . . . a list of my favorite crawfish joints in Houston!  The common theme:  All of these places are Asian.  Don’t get me wrong, I have tried crawfish at plenty of non-asian places, but it just never meets my expectations of spice and flavor.  Pretty sad, really.  You’d  think that Ragin’ Cajuns or Papadeaux could get it right, but it just doesn’t cut it for me!  Too bland, too expensive, too hyped!  A lot of local bars that have crawfish boils are pretty spectacular as well, but I consider those events as one-offs, not consistent enough for me.

If you got the pot, time and lots of friends to help drink cold beer while you’re boilin, you should CUC em’ yourself!  Lousiana crab/crawfish boil, garlic, onions, minced garlic, butter, cayenne, black pepper,  dried thai peppers, oranges, lemons and limes!!!  That’s all you need!!!  Throw in mushrooms, asparagus, potatoes, corn, sausage and some shrimp and you got yourself a Cajun party!!!

Laissez les bons temps rouler!