Phat Eatery’s Malaysian crawfish is available through April 16 at the Katy restaurant.
Isabel Protomartir
Update: This special is continuing through May 2023 (instead of April 16), as the restaurant’s crawfish supplier in Louisiana is having a great season.
At the beginning of each year, Houstonians count down the days to prime crawfish season. Bold flavors and big mudbugs top the list of must-have attributes, and these have historically showed up in the form of Cajun and Viet-Cajun preparations in restaurants and parking lots all over the city.
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But those who frequent a certain Katy restaurant know that a new unique-to-Houston version has emerged, courtesy of Alex Au-Yeung, chef-owner at Phat Eatery: curry crawfish, Malaysian style.
Phat Eatery’s crawfish is seasonally available and comes slicked with Au-Yeung’s sweet-and-spicy curry, which is flavored with warming spices and chiles tempered by turmeric and coconut milk.
Diners can add snow crab, corn, potatoes, edamame and more to Phat Eatery’s Malaysian crawfish.
Dragana Harris
Word-of-mouth and regulars of the Malaysian restaurant have increased demand for the special year-over-year, according to Au-Yeung, a 2022 James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef: Texas. On a typical weekend, he estimates that Phat Eatery sells 300 to 350 pounds of the crawfish, and 150 to 180 pounds on weekdays.
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Before he introduced curry crawfish to the restaurant, Au-Yeung fine-tuned his version for years, eventually entering it into a crawfish cookoff in Katy, where it went over well with judges and the crowd. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Au-Yeung and his team created a version Phat Eatery’s customers could take to-go when dining in wasn’t possible.
“In April 2020, it was during lockdown, so we decided let’s do something new. Let’s do the curry crawfish that we did for the competition,” Au-Yeung says.
Though the kitchen is not set up logistically for a large crawfish operation, the enthusiastic reception from customers has encouraged Au-Yeung to continue offering the special when crawfish is at its peak.
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“People like it a lot, but at the end of the day we’re not a crawfish restaurant, so we limit the time [we offer them],” Au-Yeung says. “Instead of doing it as soon as the season starts, we usually do it for a month or two.”
From March 11 through April 16 this year, diners can see what the fuss is about. Each boil is made with a well-tested method to ensure maximum flavor even without the addition of Au-Yeung’s gravy. After the first boiling process, the crawfish goes into the soak pot with Malaysian curry spice, where it sits for 45 minutes.
“The curry soaks into the crawfish itself, instead of just putting a sauce and having the taste outside, which is really important in any serious crawfish cooking,” he says. “You could eat it by itself without the curry sauce and it will still taste awesome.”
Phat Eatery’s crawfish is soaked in Malaysian curry for 45 minutes.
Isabel Protomartir
Customers can choose how spicy they want their crawfish, from level one (hot) to level five (extremely hot). Au-Yeung suggests washing it down with the local beers on tap at Phat Eatery, such as No Label, or a bottle of Singha.
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Current prices for crawfish orders, which include boiled corn and potatoes, are $20 for 2 pounds or $45 for five pounds. Canadian snow crab legs, tossed in the same fragrant curry, can be added for $25 per cluster. Brussels sprouts, button mushrooms and edamame are also available as add-ons.
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Starting March 31, Au-Yeung will pass on the deal he gets on late-season crawfish to customers with a daily special: 2 pounds for $14, 5 pounds for $30, and snow crab legs at $19 per cluster, available for dine-in and takeout. Diners hoping to experience Phat Eatery’s curry crawfish this season have until April 16, the last day the limited-time offering will be available in 2023.
Fans of Cajun and Viet-Cajun crawfish might find that this Malaysian style is a must-add to the seasonal rotation. As Au-Yeung attests, once people become familiar with curry crawfish, they come back for more.
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“We try to improve it every year,” he says. “I think this year we got it down to the way I really like it and the crowd feedback has been the best so far. It was good, but now it’s even better.”
