Oh my God, this Boston hand-cranked seafood is so good!

🦐 Cap't Loui: Boston's Cajun Seafood Fix—NOLA Vibes, No Passport Needed If you haven’t tried (shaken seafood) in Boston, this chain spot is your sign. Five years after falling for New Orleans’ Cajun boils, I found a match here—and let me tell you, the nostalgia hit hard. It’s the kind of messy, flavorful feast that makes you feel like you’re back at a Chinese seafood —proof that Black and Chinese food lovers share a universal love for bold, spicy, saucy seafood. 🌟 The Perfect Order: 3lb Seafood Combo Skip the 4lb (too much unless you’re ravenous) and go for 3lb—enough for two, with room for sides. Seafood Picks: Shrimp (1lb): 🦐 A must. Plump, sweet, and huge—they soak up the Cajun sauce like sponges. Clams & Mussels (0.5lb each): 🌊 Briny, tender, and packed with flavor. The shells trap the sauce, making every bite a burst of spice. Live Crawfish (1lb): 🦞 Insist on live—they’re sweeter, firmer, and way more flavorful than frozen. Worth the extra wait. Hard Pass: Dungeness Crab. 🦀 Pricy, hard to get meat from, and barely absorbs the sauce—plus, a faint fishy aftertaste. Save your money. 🍝 The Sides That Steal the Show Garlic Noodles & Sausage: 🧄 Game-changers. Ask the server to toss the noodles into the seafood bag—they’ll soak up every drop of Cajun sauce, turning into a spicy, buttery, garlicky mess. The sausage? Smoky, juicy, and perfect for cutting heat. Even my seafood-averse friend obsessed over these noodles. ✨ Why It Feels Like NOLA It’s all in the sauce: a zesty, spicy blend of Cajun spices, butter, and maybe a hint of heat that coats every shell, shrimp, and noodle. Messy (wear a bib), loud, and totally unpretentious—just like the best boils in New Orleans. Budget Score: 4/5. I’ve already returned twice. At ~$45 per person, it’s a splurge, but worth it when you’re craving that - style chaos. Cap't Loui isn’t reinventing the wheel, but it nails the Cajun boil vibe. For a taste of NOLA without the flight, this Stoneham spot delivers—messy, delicious, and full of that cross-cultural comfort food magic. 📍 Cap't Loui 101 Main St, Stoneham, MA 02180 #BostonCajun #SeafoodBoil #NOLAVibes