Waiting more than an hour for a table to eat boiled crawfish may seem a little much, but that’s exactly what loyal customers will do on busy nights at Sammy’s Grill on Highland Road. The restaurant and bar, which seems to have been continually expanding in the past decade, started serving crawfish about 15 years ago, and the business has never been better. This spring, the spot that used to be little more than a neighborhood bar with a back patio is serving up nearly two tons of crawfish each night. The succulent mudbugs are first cleaned thoroughly and sorted to remove any expired crustaceans before the boiling. They are then placed in baskets and hoisted on winches to get them into their spicy baths, seasoned with only four ingredients: Louisiana brand seafood boil, lemon juice and two secrets we weren’t able to pry out of the owners. Although other Sammy’s locations in Central and Zachary boil crawfish as well, none of them does the kind of business that the Baton Rouge joint does. If the crawfish suppliers are running low, Highland Road gets the first delivery. Sammy’s boils crawfish through July 4, giving patrons a lengthy and tasty crawfish season. The crawfish platters come in three-, four- and five-pound servings with corn and potatoes. Prices vary depending on the market.
For more from Jay D. Ducote, read his blog at biteandbooze.com.
