No, not LA as in Louisiana, I mean Los Angeles!  Ok, Garden Grove, actually, but still, that is WAY closer than New Orleans.  This is “The Crawfish House.” A gem of a restaurant that is completely Vietnamese owned and operated.  There are a number of similar places in the immediate area (eg Boiling Crab), but my understanding this one is one of the “quietest” with the “shortest lines.”

This is a place to order authentic boiled-in-a-bag crawfish, shrimp, crab, and more all in a delightfully spicy Cajun seasoning.  Actually, you have a few options of seasonings: Cajun, Garlic, and Lemon Pepper, or the house special, the “Whole SHA-BANG” which is an awesome combination of all three.   I adore crawfish, and these were fresh and tasty.  When you order two pounds it also comes with a few chunks of corn on the cob and some thick slices of a great sausage that is not andouille but not that different.  The blue claw crabs were very tiny by East Coast standards, but typical of what I see in the Asian Markets locally.  THey were very labor-intensive to eat but extremely flavorful.  Whenever I have them I am again reminded of why I love them so better than the more user-friendly dungeness crabs that are much more easy to come by out here. 

But it was the shrimp that stole the show.  I would call them large to extra large in size.  Served with the heads, they simply absorbed the seasonings and were incredible.  The “goo” in the shrimp heads was actually better (sweeter) than the crawfish.

Another highlight was the cajun fries.  These were just really great home-style fries which were quite addicting.

The only disappointment were the oysters on the half-shell. I think these were gulf oysters, but they were not as fresh and the temperature was not as cold as I would have liked.  Don’t order these.  May does not have an “R” in it, anyway.  I did not try the gumbo as I read on other reviews it was not great.

Both domestic and imported beer available.  Heineken and Corona are only $2.75.

We pigged out and with 4 beers the whole bill with tip came to $62.  This is a great place to go with a group of friends.  Be prepared to wait in line if they are busy, which they typically are. 

Yes, we were the only white people in the place;  no matter. The service was friendly and they spoke English just fine.  While we were there they were playing a Laker’s Game on TVs around the restaurant and everyone was very enthusiastically cheering.  It’s a really a fun place.  Check it out.

10112 Westminster Ave  

Garden Grove , CA 92843
(714) 539-3297