![]() Josh Martinez, a server at Galatoire’s in New Orleans.None of it makes sense in a “this is how it’s supposed to be done” sort of way, but it all looks delicious. The meat is pulled and served on lettuce wraps. In the parking lot of celebrated Houston restaurant Underbelly, a crowd gathers for smoked whole hog seasoned with fish sauce and Vietnamese spices. But the climactic scene of this episode proves he’s onto something. Vietnamese culture is embraced by people throughout the region now, but back then, it took time for locals in coastal Louisiana and Texas to get used to their new neighbors.Ĭhang’s philosophy - “who cares about tradition, let’s just make it delicious” - might not be easily accepted at face value. They took to shrimp and crawfish boats in their new home, and pushback from white fishermen was so bad that the Ku Klux Klan got involved. Vietnamese refugees made their way to the Gulf Coast after the Vietnam War in the ’70s. If embracing different shellfish can be tough for some folks, imagine the challenge of embracing different people. The Gulf shrimp industry dwarfs its crawfish counterpart because shrimp are easier to accept elsewhere in America. And for someone who isn’t familiar with them, they might look a little funny. One has to crack through that tough shell for a small morsel of meat. Crawfish, on the other hand, take a little more work. They’re readily available with peels, heads, and tails removed in grocery stores everywhere, and they’re ubiquitous enough to be featured on fast-food menus. Both are beloved by Gulf Coast eaters, but the latter makes for much bigger business. This micro-conflict leads into a broader conversation about acceptance. “Oh yeah, you get the flavor when you lick your fingers” seems to be a popular taunt about the supposedly inferior product. Despite Chang’s insistence, no one in New Orleans is interested in preparing their crawfish any other way. In Houston, Vietnamese seasoning and garlic butter is applied after the boil, a style called Viet-Cajun in the Big Easy, the flavors are traditional Cajun, and they’re all applied during the cooking process. In both Houston and New Orleans, cities with large Vietnamese populations, crawfish is boiled, which baffles Chang since steaming or stir-frying would leave the meat with better flavor. Chang wants to prepare these crustaceans via methods that will allow for optimal deliciousness, but he’s frustrated by the fact that in deep-rooted food cultures, that idea is trumped by “the way it’s always been done.” On the “shrimp & crawfish” episode of Ugly Delicious, David Chang and his roster of guest chefs discuss the Gulf Coast’s favorite shellfish - and boy, is there a lot to chew over.
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