With news of Da Cajun Shak owners hopping on the chicken bandwagon and opening a fried chicken restaurant, I felt a little disappointed because Da Cajun Shak original will always be the most surprisingly good place that I have ever been. You ever walk into a restaurant located in a strip mall and prepare yourself for a little bit of disappointment? The first time I dined at Da Cajun Shak, I looked around and wondered how possibly good this restaurant could be. With this location and no one in the restaurant, how could they stay in business? Delicious and unique food.
At first glance, Da Cajun Shak turns heads with its heavy LSU decor and Mardi Gras decorations. Out of the corner of my eye, I also spotted some Styrofoam food containers and red plastic fried food baskets and expected food indicative of a restaurant that typically uses that type of food container. My first round of surprise came when I received my beverage in a glass mason jar, and my second surprise came when I looked at the menu. Da Cajun Shak offers a number of different and unique dishes including crawfish etouffée and cajun meatloaf, and a some shareable plates, one of which went by the name of Da Papaw. I did not know what to expect.
Behold, the glorious Da Papaw that served 5 people easily to the point of loosening waistbands. Somehow, everyone also ordered a side of delicious crawfish etoufée because we wanted to try a little bit of everything that Da Cajun Shak could offer. I am not a huge fried catfish fan because most restaurants just do not execute properly; nothing great about biting into a piece of undercooked catfish with an uncleaned and intact mud vein. However, the Da Cajun Shak easily serves the best fried catfish that I have ever had. I practically gobbled up the entire serving without letting anyone else get a bite in; this was noticed by the other guests. I found the other components of this dish great as well, the okra was the perfect texture, the crawfish and shrimp was succulent, and the sides definitely packed a spicy punch. I did not eat the gator, but the other guests said that it was tasty. I was not a big fan of the fries, but I am very particular about my french fries, so I will give it a pass.
Any time that anyone mentions Da Cajun Shak, my eyes light up and I never hesitate to go; they offer something very unique in Wichita, and it does not disappoint.
Da Cajun Shak
6249 E 21st St N, STE 114, Wichita, KS 67208
316-260-1486
Monday-Thursday 11:00AM-8:00PM
Friday-Saturday 11:00AM-9:00PM
Closed Sunday