Despite its name, crawfish resemble oversized shrimp or undersized lobsters much more than they do fish. A completely hands-on food, crawfish can only be eaten by snapping the head off from the tail in a twisting motion, peeling the shell away from the meat using one’s thumbs like you would a shrimp, and then tugging the meat away or sucking it out. While there’s a lot of work involved, good crawfish makes all that manual labor totally worth it. For some of the best crawfish in Houston—and other dishes, too—Cajun Kitchen is a cool combination of Cajun, creole, seafood, and Vietnamese.

Yep, Try the Crawfish…

It’s no surprise that the first menu item praised in this post is a crawfish dish. That being said, the Thai Basil crawfish and the Kitchen Special are the two most popular dishes at Cajun Kitchen. Even those who don’t normally adore crawfish may be surprised by just how good these are. And for the price, it’s definitely worth placing an order for one or the other. You may want to consider purchasing a bib, 25 cents, to keep the juices from running down your chin and onto your shirt.

…and Add a Rice Plate

If crawfish doesn’t fill you up, there are a lot of other entrée options that you can choose from, and ordering a rice plate to accompany your fish dish is advised. The blackened shrimp dish is the perfect accompaniment, and the crab-fried rice is another great choice. If you’d prefer something other than rice, the oyster nachos are a unique and tasty treat, and the fried okra, or even the French fries and wings are all yummy and filling.

Order In or Bring Your Own

Cajun Kitchen offers a full bar, including sake, which is great if you want to drink something out of the ordinary. However, this restaurant also allows you to bring in your own beverage of choice (beer or wine), which is nice if you have a particular drink preference or are trying to pinch pennies on alcohol expenditures.

Salty Selections

Some of the dishes at Cajun Kitchen have been reviewed as being a bit too salty, such as the clam chowder. Some people can’t get enough sodium and love the taste of salt; if you’re one of those, you’ll love it here. If you’re anything like the rest of us, simply ask for no salt on your entrée and appetizer selections and then salt to your personal preference when the food is brought out.

Super Spicy

Finally, know that the crawfish here is spicy. Really spicy, especially if you’re a person who doesn’t do well with hot foods. While it’s not burn-your-mouth level, it is heartburn-an-hour-later level. While the spice is one of the best things about the food here, just make sure you take a tums beforehand if you’re a person with a sensitive stomach.