At its core, Cajun-Creole cuisine scratches a comfort food itch, restaurateur Troy Meyer says. And he’s not wrong. Case in point: the excellent shrimp and grits I just had at his restaurant, Crawdaddy’s on Greenfield.
If the name rings familiar, you might be thinking of its predecessor, Crawdaddy’s, a small spot – buzzy and worthy of it – on 64th and Greenfield that opened in 1995. It later moved to a bigger location 30 blocks west. When it closed in 2018, Meyer cut a deal to take over the space and the name. But rather than clone it, Meyer wanted to grow the theme and, as he says, embrace authenticity.
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The “new” Crawdaddy’s is also no tiny operation. The building has a capacity of 288 and is open every day for brunch and dinner. Its interior – Mardi Gras beads, images of brass band musicians – gives Big Easy vibes, to be sure. The menu is ambitiously large, and I’m still carving off chunks of it, but so far it’s been tasty work.
My first visit, I hit the ground running with fried gator bites. Disguised in heavy breading seasoned liberally with pepper and paprika, the gator becomes a mystery meat ($16). But the bites are tender and the hot honey dipping sauce makes them almost addictive. The baked Maryland crabcake is a delight – a thick puck of lump crab (minimal binders), delicious with mustard remoulade ($15). Beignets, as a starter? So says the menu, but however yummy, I think they’re better as dessert: popover-like with crisp shells, hollow, airy middles and a thick dusting of powdered sugar ($12).
Two conclusions I’ve drawn from my visits: 1. I need more catfish. 2. Don’t sleep on the grits. The catfish – blackened, in a po’ boy ($24) – was mellow and surprisingly clean tasting. (Meyer attributes its antithesis-of-a-bottom-feeder taste to his domestic sourcing and using fish that’s “never been frozen.”) Regarding the grits, I think when you add enough butter and cream (and smoky bacon!) you can’t lose. These grits have all three and are smooth, to boot – plus the shrimp is tender but firm ($24).
Meyer says his biggest seller is fried chicken and I see why – it has an unctuous crackly thick crust that makes a decadent shell for the meat. You can order it by the piece ($5) or a plate – a delicious half-chicken with whipped potatoes, pork-seasoned collards and tasso gravy ($23).
I couldn’t visit this place without digging into the bayou classics, which have their own section on the menu: jambalaya ($24), gumbo ($29) and etouffee ($28). I ordered the trio option ($28) and while the jambalaya tasted like the real deal (andouille, tasso ham, holy trinity aromatics), the shellfish gumbo and the etouffee tasted, disappointingly, nearly identical – the only difference was that the gumbo was a little thinner than the etouffee, which should be defined by a rich gravy-like roux.
Meyer’s parting words from our call were that he thinks his version of Crawdaddy’s does justice to the name. Despite a few blips on the bayou, I will agree.
Crawdaddy’s on Greenfield
9427 W. Greenfield Ave., West Allis, 414-778-2228
Hours: Sun-Thurs 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Fri-Sat 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
Prices: Bayou classics $24-$36; tacos, po’ boys, sandwiches $16-$24; steaks, fish, chops, smoked meats $22-$45
Service: Friendly and quick
Reservations: Recommended on weekends
