The Call of the Craw: CrawDady Opens at The Rock
Writer & Photographer: Nick Blevins
Can you smell what’s cooking at The Rock?
The chicken and sausage gumbo was deeply savory with a rich, hearty roux
It’s not just a knock-off wrestler catchphrase; between the classic Italian fare of Tre Trattoria and Roca & Martillo, or the meaty, saucy morsels of Two Bros BBQ, chef Jason Dady has also been slingin’ those perennial cajun critters, mudbugs — or crayfish, for the un-southern — for years.
“Oh man, it’s just been an all-time favorite of mine and my family,” he shared. “I think the great thing about crawfish, especially crawfish boils, is that it just brings the family together.”
Each weekend through the end of spring (or as long as the seasonality of the crawfish permits), you can bring your family together to the Rock at La Cantera, where his CrawDady popup will be serving seafood boils by the pound. With four flavors to choose from, including a dry spice cajun blend, an italian garlic and herb, the wet and spicy joint for the sauce fanatics, or a ginger and lemongrass-forward “Viet-Cajun” style, you can go with the crew, or simply consume four pounds to yourself to try them all. No bad options. According to Dady, there are also plans to add a shrimp option to the rotation this coming weekend. And hey, if you’re feeling more turf-y than surf-y, the chicken and sausage gumbo’s hot, savory roux was the perfect accompaniment to a blustery pre-spring day. Pair either of those with the boudin balls, jalapeno and white cheddar hushpuppies, or the boudin sausage links on offer, and that’s a wrap.
I’ve heeded the call of the craw since I was but a wee bébé. This time however, there was nobody on the other line; the ordering system needed a bit of work. With no buzzers or notification system, I watched as order numbers were shouted into the wind, subsumed by the blues-y thrumming of the live band nearby. While I was able to enjoy the chicken and sausage gumbo immediately, my crawfish never arrived. Allowing for first-day kinks, I checked and confirmed that my order was received at around the 40-minute mark, but after another half hour, decided to cut bait. While disappointing, I expect that element will be updated going forward. I will be trying those crawfish, and will update here accordingly.
CrawDady is now open Friday through Sunday at the Rock at La Cantera.
