Kat's 9 Lives

After all the hype, I had to come try this place out for myself. Last Friday Tofu and I made a special trip to the Boiling Crab in Garden Grove. I did my research and found out that the lines are horrendously long, so I made sure we got there when they opened. We were immediately seated and the servers were very friendly. The decor was very touristy and tacky, but in a way that fits the ambiance. It's full of sea-related decors that completes the theme.
One of my friends talked about it as an addiction, so I had to try the Crawfish. There are 4 sauces to choose from. They have Rajun Cajun (Original), Lemon Pepper, Garlic Butter, and the Whole Sha-Bang! Of course I had to have it with the whole sha-bang! Since I don't like stuff too spicy, I ordered it mild. It still packed a decent punch. They come in steaming bags. I ordered 2lbs because it comes with a corn on the cob and two small slices of sausage. When you open the bag, you get a blast of heaven. I love the immense Cajun garlic smell. It's like as if Pavlov rung a bell, you just start salivating. I didn't really enjoy the crawfish in the beginning because it was a little undercooked for me. It was tender, but I like it firmer. The crawfish tasted much better after I brought it home.
There were so many things on the menu that I wanted to try. If only Ms. Lin was there, we could have packed tons in. ^_^ I ordered the Cajun Hot Wings. It was surprisingly delicious. I wish I had ordered the dozen. They were lightly dusted and covered with seasoning then fried. It creates a fabulous crispy coating on the chicken. The flavor just pops in your mouth. It has a fine gratey texture. I would probably come back to get all the fried goodies!
Tofu and I both got the Fried Catfish with Cajun Fries. As I have mentioned above, their fried food was wonderful. The catfish was lightly coated with seasoning and fried to perfection. I detest heavy batter that takes away the taste and texture of the fish. They do a great job balancing my love for a crispy coating and a tender flavorful fish. The Cajun fries were perfectly crisp and seasoned. Tofu really enjoyed the fries. They maintained their crispy texture even after they became cold.
Last but no least, we got the King Crab Legs with the Whole Sha-Bang! An order was about 1.4 lbs and 3 crab legs. By this time we were already getting full and there was tons of delicious food on the table. Tofu had never cracked a crab before, so I had to roll up my sleeves and show him how it's done! ^_~ I hate peeling and cracking, but when it comes down to it I am an expert. They give you their signature mallet and a plastic utensil to work the crab. I really didn't need the mallet. If they gave me scissors, I'd be done with the crab in a minute. The crab was a little to soft to really crack, but we still go it!
All in all I liked the place. It was a lot of fun cracking the crabs and eating the crawfish. No utensils were given, so it was all hands on! I was also able to take a picture of Tofu wearing the bib. **mwah ha ha** The server was very friendly and tied the bibs on for us. I loved all the fried food. The crawfish and crab were not bad, but the best part is the sauce! Thinking about the Whole Sha-Bang! makes me drool. I think the best combo would be dipping the fried food in the Whole Sha-Bang! Yum Yum! I will definitely be back to try the rest of the items on the menu! =9