"Things will get messy at Crawfish & Noodles. Each table at this casual Chinatown institution is lined in plastic and full of folks slurping crawfish and cracking spicy crab legs, only stopping for the occasional swig of beer. You can get seafood in dozens of ways, but the best way at this Viet-Cajun spot is in a boil. It comes smothered in garlic and perfectly spiced with loads of cayenne. Or, take the sweeter route and get your shrimp covered in a sticky tamarind glaze. But know that Crawfish & Noodles contains multitudes—besides seafood, it’s also home to some of the city’s most tender braised turkey necks. If you’re here, don’t worry about table manners because no one will blink twice if sauce runs down your arm. photo credit: Richard Casteel photo credit: Richard Casteel photo credit: Richard Casteel Food Rundown photo credit: Richard Casteel Turkey Necks These turkey necks come served in a rich stew that brings plenty of spice to the party—with enough cayenne pepper to make your eyes water. By the end of your bowl, you’ll be thankful that you saved a piece of baguette to sop up any pieces of tender meat that sank to the bottom. photo credit: Richard Casteel Mi Xiao Noodles This dish can be inconsistent—sometimes, the shrimp is missing flavor, and other times, the noodles are too crunchy. photo credit: Gianni Greene Snow Crab Our favorite way to order the snow crab is by the pound and Viet-Cajun style. Sides like sausage and potato come smothered with flecks of garlic as the heat slowly builds with each bite, so add a few pieces to your plate. photo credit: Gianni Greene Tamarind Shrimp A little sticky with just the right amount of sweetness, the tamarind noodles help cool things down from the tongue-tingling Viet-Cajun spices. The plate is about 40% glaze and 60% shrimp, so get this dish if you like things saucy." - Gianni Greene
