Crawfish in Dallas (Houston, Plano, Richmond: luxury, live in, restaurant)

[Nairobi]

Originally Posted by pharpe

There is no commercial place in Dallas that makes good crawfish IMO and I've been to them all. Nate's, Dodies, Boiling Crab, Razoo's, Pappadeaux's, etc. Boiling Crab is probably the best but it's not true South LA style and the location is not very good. Most use what I call the Dallas formula:

• Little to no seasoning in the boil
• Over cooked
• Not soaked long enough
• Tony's poured on the outside

My guess is someone along the way started cooking them this way and everyone just thought that's how they were supposed to be.

Every year my friends and I (south LA transplants) talk about starting our own catering business because you just cant find good crawfish in Dallas. As others have mentioned I think location would be key. Somewhere along the 75 corridor would be good. Between Henderson and Wallnut Hill. That would pull in the Uptown, M-Streets, Park Cites, Lakewood and north Dallas neighborhoods.

I can't imagine people from these neighborhoods eating crawfish very often. A location in southern Dallas will put you in closer proximity with people who likely have more of an affinity with Louisiana treats.

To me, a mudbug joint has Bishop Arts District written all over it.

[bencronin04]

Originally Posted by Nairobi

I can't imagine people from these neighborhoods eating crawfish very often. A location in southern Dallas will put you in closer proximity with people who likely have more of an affinity with Louisiana treats.

To me, a mudbug joint has Bishop Arts District written all over it.

Park Cities, maybe not but the others absolutely would. There's a reason the Pappadeaux and Dodies in those areas are almost always packed. I think Bishop Art's MIGHT be a good location, but a lot of that traffic is from people in the Lakewood, Park Cities, North Dallas area driving down to Lockharts and such.

[texdav]

yep the crawfish only places mostly are not even opening yet because of the lack of availability do to cold waters still. Now I am talking about Louisana and east Texas crawfish not imported ones from far east or frozen tails.

[pharpe]

Originally Posted by Nairobi

I can't imagine people from these neighborhoods eating crawfish very often. A location in southern Dallas will put you in closer proximity with people who likely have more of an affinity with Louisiana treats.

To me, a mudbug joint has Bishop Arts District written all over it.

Originally Posted by bencronin04

Park Cities, maybe not but the others absolutely would. There's a reason the Pappadeaux and Dodies in those areas are almost always packed. I think Bishop Art's MIGHT be a good location, but a lot of that traffic is from people in the Lakewood, Park Cities, North Dallas area driving down to Lockharts and such.

I've boiled crawfish for a friends parents in HP the last 3 years. There is huge turnout everytime. I usually get 10-15 requests from that boil alone from people in the Park Cities to come and cook for them but i just don't have time.

I'm not saying that Bishop Arts does not have a demand but it's on the outskirts where something like 75 and Lovers is centrally located. You'd get more regulars as apposed to one time novelty of driving down to Bishop Arts to get crawfish.

[Nairobi]

Originally Posted by pharpe

I've boiled crawfish for a friends parents in HP the last 3 years. There is huge turnout everytime. I usually get 10-15 requests from that boil alone from people in the Park Cities to come and cook for them but i just don't have time.

I'm not saying that Bishop Arts does not have a demand but it's on the outskirts where something like 75 and Lovers is centrally located. You'd get more regulars as apposed to one time novelty of driving down to Bishop Arts to get crawfish.

Well, there is an entire region of Dallas that's found below Bishop Arts, you know. That's my point. How is something right outside of downtown the outskirts?

[bencronin04]

Originally Posted by Nairobi

Well, there is an entire region of Dallas that's found below Bishop Arts, you know. That's my point. How is something right outside of downtown the outskirts?

You have to realize that the southern portion of Dallas also does not have the luxury of eating out as often either.

[bencronin04]

You obviously have this worked out, but how are you going to get quality bugs in the off season?

[rantanamo]

southern end of Henderson would be a great location. Very neighborhood like and still just blocks from more expensive space like lower Greenville and Knox-Henderson, while being next to some great neighborhood spots like Louie's.

[bencronin04]

Originally Posted by rantanamo

southern end of Henderson would be a great location. Very neighborhood like and still just blocks from more expensive space like lower Greenville and Knox-Henderson, while being next to some great neighborhood spots like Louie's.

Agreed. And rent around there is probably reasonable compared to true uptown, PC, Lakewood locations.

[BeenThereDunThat]

Or...you might take a cue from the Food Truck Culture that's all the rage in L.A. and Hollyweird. Why not just outfit a mobile crawfish boil truck, get the right permits and find places where you can park at different high-traffic access points?
I know a guy who did that with his raw shrimp sales and then build a restaurant after he developed a following.

There's a guy in L.A. who sells Korean Tacos / Short Ribs and uses only Twitter to let folks know where the trucks will be at any given day and time. When his truck arrives...there's already a line formed 'cuz his food is that good.

Kogi BBQ Taco Truck & Catering | Korean BBQ To-Go

Just an thought.