"Viet Cajun cuisine might be one of the most distinctly Houston (and Southern) food traditions to come out of the Gulf Coast region. It was pioneered by Vietnamese immigrant communities living in the H-Town area in the mid-2000s. One of the cuisine’s signature dishes is the Viet Cajun crawfish boil, which is much like a traditional American crawfish boil but with an important twist: After the crawfish is cooked, it’s tossed in a rich, butter-based sauce flavored with lots of garlic, ginger, scallions, peppers, lemongrass, and other aromatics. Crawfish Cafe, which has two locations in the Houston area, is one of the O.G. places to get Viet Cajun food in the city. The original Crawfish Cafe is located in the Hong Kong Food Market shopping complex, home to the eponymous supermarket and several Asian-focused restaurants, stores, and bakeries. I prefer the location on North Shepherd, which is in Houston’s Greater Heights neighborhood and has more seating than the original restaurant (though I recommend visiting the Hong Kong Food Market locale if you’d like to devote an afternoon to lunch and browsing the neighboring establishments). For a tried-and-true Viet Cajun classic, opt for the crawfish and Gulf Coast blue crab slathered in the original Cajun sauce—you can adjust the spice according to your comfort level. Be prepared to leave the restaurant with oily fingers and a full belly." - Mae Hamilton
