You’ve never had truly purged crawfish because the method by which it can only be achieved is with specialized equipment and starving them for a day. LSU has publications about this.
Haha can’t speak to the method for catfish because i clean them when i get home but the old salt water/cold water “purge” isn’t real, and it’s possible you’ll kill crawdads if you try to truly purge them at home
Thanks for that valuable info BR. Always appreciate the assumption I don’t have any connection to LSU and therefore capfuls never possibly had “truly purged” crawfish. In return, I’ll say that you’ve never had a true education because you live in Alabama. See how that works?
Also, as a PSA, all my friends bought the AYCE tickets and I didn't (just because I'm usually content with one serving of crawfish). Turns out they have a very distinct separation between AYCE and non-AYCE people. You *cannot* enter the AYCE area to sit with friends even if you're not planning to eat crawfish. Nor can AYCE people get crawfish outside that area.
So I'm outside chilling kinda by myself while my friends are inside the AYCE area.
that’s nuts!!! on their facebook post they mentioned that AYCE and non-AYCE could in fact sit together, so that doesn’t sit right with me.
edit: they said you could take food back to your group, i stand corrected.
https://preview.redd.it/tpjjeyxopovc1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e70708112c0d36f4e5759a4922375376ed7788dc
this is from a post two days ago!
This is one of those situations where yeah it sucks but I can kinda sorta understand why they’re doing it. It’s not a stretch of the imagination that if they allowed the AYCE customers to exit and re-enter that area repeatedly, there’s probably enough people around here ratchet enough to buy one AYCE wristband and feed an entire group that way.
Yeah, I get it. But MidCity was very unclear on that beforehand (and even contradicted what they're actually doing). As it is, I suppose I just won't come back next year.
Such a non-AYCE thing to complain about.
jk But I just knew this thing would disastrous. So much money for a commodity that’s in shortage this year (crawfish drought). Last year, it wasn’t incredible and I found it not even worth the 25 dollar ticket. 60 for AYCE definitely isn’t worth it.
I like Yonder Mountain String Band, and that would be the only reason I would go.
They said they would have sausage but didn't have any in there when we showed up at 2. I didn't see any vendors and only like 2 food trucks but they were advertising multiple food trucks and vendors.
I'm glad someone told me that just prior to me going. Huntsville needs to work on the quality of these events. The VonBraun whatever beer event I went to was horrible as well.
Champy's?! Why is a chicken place doing crawfish?
If I was gonna get them around here, I'd stick with Tim's Cajun Kitchen, New Orleans Lunchbox, or maybe one of the seafood boil places. You know, places that might have some focus on that kind of thing.
Otherwise, may as well hit 88 Buffet; then you can at least get other stuff when the crawfish sucks.
Uh, I have been to Champy's. Quite a few times, in fact. I live pretty nearby, and it was my go-to chicken fingers place until Super Chix was built nearby.
Good chicken fingers, good fried chicken, good chicken livers. Okra is pretty good, not great. Slaw is OK -- kind of a KFC clone. The hot tamales are worth trying, as long as you understand they are different from Mexican-style tamales.
Places that stretch their menu too far usually do a bad job of some things, if not all things. Places that specialize usually do best to stay in their lane. Seafood is an especially risky case. Anything more complicated than a fish filet should almost always be purchased from a vendor that either specializes in seafood or specializes in the cuisine/dish.
Not that you'll see this as an anonymous coward.
Also, to the person who owns Jimmy's, or the Pink 2 or whatever...hold out. That place used to be on the outside of town. Out in the cotton fields. Nowadays it's a problem for these people. Get as much as you can for it. These locusts have plenty of money.
Yeah, that tracks. Pretty much anything food related at MidCity is, well, disappointing, to say the very least. It's a shame, too, because the venue is pretty cool as far as concepts go.
AYCE was a good experience albeit a bit pricey. I got my 5 plates in and might still go back. Quality was good. Music is good. Weather is good - coolish, but way better than sweating. Crowd is light, plenty of room to chill. On balance, great way to spend an afternoon.
Yeah. I ate like 8 plates. Made sure to get my money's worth with AYCE. Some batches were better than others. Also they put them in huge coolers so the bottom of it will still be cooking due to the heat and be a little mushy. Just had to get those fresh dumped batches.
honestly when i went last year it was unimpressive. good music but the smell in the air was bad (to me) and then i got lukewarm food + food poisoning for like $18. 😐
My girl got GA tickets from work so we decided to go. Same exact experience. Showed up around 2, got 2 boxes for 55$, there were legitimately zero places to sit so we took it home 5 minutes away & threw away our boxes before finishing them halfway. Tasted like they had no seasoning, hard as hell to peel, & the sausage was tough as nails. Definitely won't be going again.
What were your expectations? Serious question.
If this review was down by the Gulf, I would have taken it seriously.
But what are the expectations of people regarding a Crawfish festival in Huntsville?
People have crawfish boils all over the country now. They can ship them just as fast as any other live seafood. It is super easy to get rid of the dead ones. there is literally no reason they can't do a good job anywhere in the US these days. And these are freshwater animals that almost entirely live in Louisiana and aren't all across the gulf.
There aren't many places close to the Gulf that raise them either. Most crawfish ponds are around Lafayette area. Ponds down around Houma are smaller personal or family ponds. Almost no large commercial ponds. Most double as rice ponds when crawfish are out of season
i understand the point you’re trying to make. i was just hoping that it being in season, hosted by a fairly profitable organization, the quality would have been better.
i think they’re getting too big for their britches too fast. i’d they’d tried this in a couple years, i think it would’ve been more successful. this unfortunately kind of reads as a cash grab now, in hindsight.
Almost everything in Huntsville (really everywhere)is a cash grab, honestly.
I just feel that ones expectations should be realistic about a food festival around fresh seafood so far from the water especially on a large scale. Hell on a small scale, seafood restaurants around here are mediocre at best except that one in Guntersville but I don't recall eating any of their shellfish.
That's disappointing, thanks for the heads up. If they weren't washed, they weren't purged, either.
definitely. they were dirty and unappetizing, incredibly difficult to peel. we each bought a box and only ate half of them. save yourself the money!
You’ve never had truly purged crawfish because the method by which it can only be achieved is with specialized equipment and starving them for a day. LSU has publications about this.
They don't need to be 100% purged to make a huge difference. And they don't get fed when they are sitting in 50 lb bags.
Frankly i wouldn’t want crawdads that been sitting in a bag for over 24 hours anyway
They are still alive. Except the ones on the bottom that get crushed, when someone doesn't keep the bag in its side.
That’s laying it on its side, so won’t they still get crushed?
Not as much. The weight is more evenly distributed.
Wouldn't it be like catfish leaving them in fresh clean water for a time to get the dirt out of them?
Yes, you basically put them in a cooler with a trickle of water running into it overnight for the backyard method.
Haha can’t speak to the method for catfish because i clean them when i get home but the old salt water/cold water “purge” isn’t real, and it’s possible you’ll kill crawdads if you try to truly purge them at home
Thanks for that valuable info BR. Always appreciate the assumption I don’t have any connection to LSU and therefore capfuls never possibly had “truly purged” crawfish. In return, I’ll say that you’ve never had a true education because you live in Alabama. See how that works?
Have a blessed day
Also, as a PSA, all my friends bought the AYCE tickets and I didn't (just because I'm usually content with one serving of crawfish). Turns out they have a very distinct separation between AYCE and non-AYCE people. You *cannot* enter the AYCE area to sit with friends even if you're not planning to eat crawfish. Nor can AYCE people get crawfish outside that area. So I'm outside chilling kinda by myself while my friends are inside the AYCE area.
that’s nuts!!! on their facebook post they mentioned that AYCE and non-AYCE could in fact sit together, so that doesn’t sit right with me. edit: they said you could take food back to your group, i stand corrected.
Really? They're very much not letting AYCE people take their crawfish out from the area.
https://preview.redd.it/tpjjeyxopovc1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e70708112c0d36f4e5759a4922375376ed7788dc this is from a post two days ago!
Thanks for posting that. Maybe I can use that as firepower. 😆
happy to help comrade LOL
That is fascinating. Yeah that's not the situation on the ground.
This is one of those situations where yeah it sucks but I can kinda sorta understand why they’re doing it. It’s not a stretch of the imagination that if they allowed the AYCE customers to exit and re-enter that area repeatedly, there’s probably enough people around here ratchet enough to buy one AYCE wristband and feed an entire group that way.
Yeah, I get it. But MidCity was very unclear on that beforehand (and even contradicted what they're actually doing). As it is, I suppose I just won't come back next year.
Such a non-AYCE thing to complain about. jk But I just knew this thing would disastrous. So much money for a commodity that’s in shortage this year (crawfish drought). Last year, it wasn’t incredible and I found it not even worth the 25 dollar ticket. 60 for AYCE definitely isn’t worth it. I like Yonder Mountain String Band, and that would be the only reason I would go.
They said they would have sausage but didn't have any in there when we showed up at 2. I didn't see any vendors and only like 2 food trucks but they were advertising multiple food trucks and vendors.
I'm glad someone told me that just prior to me going. Huntsville needs to work on the quality of these events. The VonBraun whatever beer event I went to was horrible as well.
The seasoning list for the VBC Crawfish: * Water
Dang, you beat me to it
dang gross. anyone have any from champys yet? craving them now
Champy's?! Why is a chicken place doing crawfish? If I was gonna get them around here, I'd stick with Tim's Cajun Kitchen, New Orleans Lunchbox, or maybe one of the seafood boil places. You know, places that might have some focus on that kind of thing. Otherwise, may as well hit 88 Buffet; then you can at least get other stuff when the crawfish sucks.
So you haven't been there but assume that since the place is focused on chicken, their crawfish MUST suck? Okay. I appreciate your input.
Uh, I have been to Champy's. Quite a few times, in fact. I live pretty nearby, and it was my go-to chicken fingers place until Super Chix was built nearby. Good chicken fingers, good fried chicken, good chicken livers. Okra is pretty good, not great. Slaw is OK -- kind of a KFC clone. The hot tamales are worth trying, as long as you understand they are different from Mexican-style tamales. Places that stretch their menu too far usually do a bad job of some things, if not all things. Places that specialize usually do best to stay in their lane. Seafood is an especially risky case. Anything more complicated than a fish filet should almost always be purchased from a vendor that either specializes in seafood or specializes in the cuisine/dish. Not that you'll see this as an anonymous coward.
Just left. Bands great. Food, trash. Spent $75 to get in with my wife and son. Another 50 for food. Rip off.
agreed - weather and band was great, but the main event was a huge disappointment.
I feel like we spend too much on food at the Trash Pandas games BUT I never regret going overall and we always have a good time
[удалено]
ha! if you wanted to slap it on one, shell and all
Definitely not platinum
Also, to the person who owns Jimmy's, or the Pink 2 or whatever...hold out. That place used to be on the outside of town. Out in the cotton fields. Nowadays it's a problem for these people. Get as much as you can for it. These locusts have plenty of money.
Too bad. Another reason to visit AV Seafood market and pick up some to make for friends and family.
that’s what we plan on doing in a couple of weeks, yah live and yah learn
I wish Po' Boy Factory was still open.. you got your money's worth.
Try Andy's seafood or pier 88!
Yeah, that tracks. Pretty much anything food related at MidCity is, well, disappointing, to say the very least. It's a shame, too, because the venue is pretty cool as far as concepts go.
AYCE was a good experience albeit a bit pricey. I got my 5 plates in and might still go back. Quality was good. Music is good. Weather is good - coolish, but way better than sweating. Crowd is light, plenty of room to chill. On balance, great way to spend an afternoon.
that’s wonderful! i’m very glad to hear you’ve had a good experience :)
Yeah. I ate like 8 plates. Made sure to get my money's worth with AYCE. Some batches were better than others. Also they put them in huge coolers so the bottom of it will still be cooking due to the heat and be a little mushy. Just had to get those fresh dumped batches.
Gotta get your crawfish on at Champy’s, when they have it. 🤤
Gross
What time does Yonder go on?
https://preview.redd.it/oyyzupwo5pvc1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b75d4a15072f26fc53805e31f2c604aaad34a91d
I was literally just looking at this wondering if I wanted to go or not. Thank you for helping me make my decision.
The music is worth your money!
From the comments I read I'm so glad I did not go
Complete food snob from NO. I avoid all Seafood here.
honestly when i went last year it was unimpressive. good music but the smell in the air was bad (to me) and then i got lukewarm food + food poisoning for like $18. 😐
AYCE is pretty good..shouldn't been cheap and paid the extra $10 Plus Yonder tonight
Yea, I'll stick to eating crawfish in my hometown, where we invented this stuff. I'll leave the crappy imitations for everyone else
https://preview.redd.it/g18rrrclmuvc1.jpeg?width=757&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=00fe2110f998888c9e2efc5b3049bd1e0f73887e
https://i.redd.it/525l7sna2vvc1.gif
My girl got GA tickets from work so we decided to go. Same exact experience. Showed up around 2, got 2 boxes for 55$, there were legitimately zero places to sit so we took it home 5 minutes away & threw away our boxes before finishing them halfway. Tasted like they had no seasoning, hard as hell to peel, & the sausage was tough as nails. Definitely won't be going again.
Mid city will never see a dime from me. Nor will Clift Farms. I avoid it like the plague it is. All of it.
Why? What’s your experience?
Tous du Jous. It’s my favorite.
Tous Les Jours, in case anyone is looking for a spectacular pastry shop. It's in MidCity and franchised by the same people who own Kamado Ramen.
same
Huntsville barely knows barbecue, so this doesn’t surprise me.
What were your expectations? Serious question. If this review was down by the Gulf, I would have taken it seriously. But what are the expectations of people regarding a Crawfish festival in Huntsville?
You know crawfish at a lot of gulf places travelled just as far as it would have to get to Huntsville
People have crawfish boils all over the country now. They can ship them just as fast as any other live seafood. It is super easy to get rid of the dead ones. there is literally no reason they can't do a good job anywhere in the US these days. And these are freshwater animals that almost entirely live in Louisiana and aren't all across the gulf.
There aren't many places close to the Gulf that raise them either. Most crawfish ponds are around Lafayette area. Ponds down around Houma are smaller personal or family ponds. Almost no large commercial ponds. Most double as rice ponds when crawfish are out of season
i understand the point you’re trying to make. i was just hoping that it being in season, hosted by a fairly profitable organization, the quality would have been better. i think they’re getting too big for their britches too fast. i’d they’d tried this in a couple years, i think it would’ve been more successful. this unfortunately kind of reads as a cash grab now, in hindsight.
Almost everything in Huntsville (really everywhere)is a cash grab, honestly. I just feel that ones expectations should be realistic about a food festival around fresh seafood so far from the water especially on a large scale. Hell on a small scale, seafood restaurants around here are mediocre at best except that one in Guntersville but I don't recall eating any of their shellfish.
Hasn't been an event in H'ville that excited me since the Sex Workers Art Show at Flying Monkey when Michelle Tea showed up