BWW Reviews: CAJUNSEA in Midtown Manhattan Serves Up Excellent Seafood

Tucked away on West 34th Street is a gem of a restaurant you will not want to miss, CajunSea. Just off 6th Avenue in Midtown, it would be just as fitting to find this great spot near Bourbon Street in New Orleans. For New Yorkers and those visiting the city, it is an ideal location, convenient to Herald Square and Broadway. We suggest it for a lunch, happy hour, dinner and pre-theater or post theater dining.

CajunSea is newly opened and it as the seafood lover's answer to finding a terrific meal in a most welcoming environment, a meal that is robust, elemental, a feat to finish and a joy to devour. They are dedicated to serving Southern-style Cajun food and the freshest Northeast-style seafood favorites. The kitchen excels at recipes that are popular citywide like Lobster Rolls and has no problem whipping up endlessly tasty finger food like their Catfish Basket and Fried Cajun Wings.

One of their main menu attractions and a main event is the Authentic Louisiana Boil, a mammoth meal that combines shellfish, Andouille sausage, red potatoes, corn and seasonings that range from "mild" to "bomb spicy." For the boil itself, choose a main selection of lobster, king crab, or snow crab. All of these are accompanied by your choice of shrimp or crawfish and amount to an easygoing feast. It comes with plenty of extra seasoning, and with all the implements you will need to crack open those lobster claws and indulge. Order one of these, settle down, and enjoy your time at the spacious and stylish CajunSea.

A full meal at CajunSea should begin with soup and appetizers: the raw bar is the top-quality, and some of the other appetizer and small bites both surprise and satisfy. The Lobster Bisque immerses generous pieces of lobster meat in a smoky red broth, an inspired change from the more creamy recipes found elsewhere.

The cocktails at Cajun Sea are delightfully diverse although there are real consistencies like the signature mellow character and perfect blends of their drinks. While the Crustacean Hurricane melds rum and citrus with passion fruit and spiced wine, the house Sazerac makes use of a native New Orleans liqueur, Herbsaint, to affirm its southern roots. Perhaps most potent of all is the Sapokanikan, which combines vodka, Ledaig 10, and Pernod for a taste that is subtle yet strong. CajunSea also offers a fine selection of draft beers, sparkling, white, rose and red wines.

The inventive use of classic liqueurs continues with their dessert menu. Currently CajunSea features an orange and mandarin sorbet, seasoned with fresh mint and laced with Cointreau. And we have reason to look forward to the other items like Banana Bread Pudding and authentic New Orleans style beignets.

You can also stop by CajunSea with your group just after work for their Oyster Happy Hour with $1.00 Blue Point Oysters and $5 drafts. It's another great way to make this restaurant one of your favorite spots in Midtown.

CajunSea is located at 32 West 33rd Street, New York, NY 10001. For more information and menus, visit www.cajunsea.com or call them at (212) 564-7333.

PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy of CajunSea

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