It’s crawfish season, and if you’re looking for a good gumbo, etouffee or po’boy, you don’t have to travel all the way to Louisiana. The Southwest Austin area is home to a variety of locally owned, established restaurants as well as new dining options such as food trucks that cater to those with a taste for traditional Cajun eats. This list is not comprehensive.
Beaux Southern Seafood 2310 Bliss Spillar Road 512-804-8683 • www.facebook.com/beauxseafoodtrailer The food trailer offering fresh oyster po’boys, gumbo, fried shrimp, alligator and more, opened at 2310 Bliss Spillar Road on Nov. 19. The trailer is open seven days a week from 11 a.m.-8 p.m., owner Beau Hobbs said.
3 things to try 1. Crawdawg 2. Peacemaker 3. Barbecue shrimpCherry Creek Catfish 5712 Manchaca Road 512-440-8810 • www.cherrycreekcatfish.com The Cherry Creek Catfish restaurant on Manchaca Road has served seafood and traditional Texas fare since 1994, co-owner Danny Lenertz said. Menu items include ribs, fried catfish, fried shrimp, hush puppies, french fries, salads, fried okra, fried pickles, fried green tomatoes, chicken-fried steak, and gumbo made with crawfish and shrimp.
3 things to try 1. Po’boys 2. Gumbo 3. Crawfish basket
Crawfish Shack & Oyster Bar 9500 S. I-35, Ste. C 512-280-0816 • www.crawfishshacktx.com Providing Austinites with a homestyle crawfish boil experience was one of the goals of Crawfish Shack & Oyster Bar owner Hiep Nguyen when he opened the restaurant’s first location in 2007. Nguyen, who grew up in Rockport, Texas, has lived in Austin for more than 20 years. He expanded the business in February 2014 by opening its Southpark Meadows location near the Grove. The south location has a full bar as well as patio seating.
3 things to try 1. Fisherman’s Catch 2. Hot from the Pot 3. Gumbo
Cypress Grill[/caption]
Cypress Grill 4404 W. William Cannon Drive, Ste. L 512-358-7474 • www.cypressgrill.net The Louisiana-style cafe offers a menu with cocktails and classic Cajun dishes in addition to salads and po’boys plus daily specials, live music and a full bar with happy hours. The restaurant will offer a first-come, first-served Mardi Gras celebration Feb. 28 with live-boiled crawfish.
3 things to try 1. New Orleans BBQ shrimp 2. Cypress Grill muffuletta 3. Atchafalaya Catfish
Deckhand Oyster Bar 4211 S. Lamar Blvd., Ste. C-1 512-326-1963 • www.deckhandoysterbar.com The restaurant, which also operates a location in Round Rock, offers Cajun and Thai fusion dishes.
3 things to try 1. Cowboy boudin 2. Crawfish boil 3. La Frontera oysters
District Austin | Kitchen + Cocktails[/caption]
District Austin | Kitchen + Cocktails 5900 W. Slaughter Lane, Ste. D-500 512-351-8436 • www.districtaustin.com The Circle C restaurant opened in October 2013 with a menu drawing inspiration from French, Middle Eastern, Asian and Louisiana influences.
3 things to try 1. Nawlins Shrimp + Grits 2. Duck and sausage gumbo 3. Cajun-style Cowboy Ribeye
Evangeline Cafe[/caption]
Evangeline Cafe 8106 Brodie Lane 512-282-2586 • www.evangelinecafe.com The Brodie Lane eatery was founded in 2003 and offers local live music performances in the evenings, said Payton Mora, assistant general manager. The restaurant’s chef and owner, Curtis Clarke, has more than 30 years of experience in the food industry and hails from Lake Charles, Louisiana.
3 things to try 1. Hank Williams platter 2. Alligator sauce piquante 3. Pecan pistolette praline
Stuffed Cajun Meat Market and Specialty Foods[/caption]
Stuffed Cajun Meat Market and Specialty Foods 5207 Brodie Lane, Ste. 125 512-918-1600 • www.stuffedfoodstores.com Co-owners Tim Garrett and Kurt and Casey Knies opened the business in 2010 and offer dine-in Cajun foods for lunch and dinner. The store also carries about 50 to 60 specialty grocery items and take-home dishes, including stuffed chickens and turkeys.
3 things to try 1. Crawfish etouffee 2. Chicken and sausage gumbo 3. Fried combo basket