Hello everyone! I am back with another cool place for you to check out near Haeundae beach, Busan. This place is called Kevin’s Boiling Crab, and it specializes in Cajun food. This is one of only a handful of restaurants offering cajun food in South Korea. So, whether you want to explore new cuisine, or are a Louisiana native looking for a taste of home, be sure to stop by! There is also a location in Gangnam for those of you in Seoul.
If you are new to this series, let me give some brief context before I start. I realized that not many people talk nor know about the cool area behind the Haeundae Museum, the one located next to the subway station. Over the past months, I’ve been a bit busy looking around this same area to write about it and give it the shine it deserves.
This area is full of both local and foreign food as well as cafes and shops to do some eye seeing. And while everyone has different tastes and preferences, I am pretty sure there is something for everyone to like!
Now, for this article, it is a foreign food restaurant that may not be for everyone due to its spices. Yet, from my point of view, I loved every second of the meal and was too sad to stop eating it. This restaurant specializes in Cajun food. I am talking about Kevin’s Boiling Crab!
Cajun food is a style of cuisine from Louisiana, USA. It is a very unique style of cooking that blends together traditions from West Africa, France, and Spain – using ingredients that were readily available in the United States.
There was a French ethnic group called the Acadians, that migrated to Canada together during the 1600s. During the French and Indian war (1754-1763), many people fled and settled in Louisiana, which had been originally colonized by Spain, but became a French colony in 1682. The French colony of Louisiana was a major slave trading center. People from multiple different ethnic groups in West Africa were forced to come to Louisiana during that time.
This unique and rapid blend of cultures led to the formation of a distinct ethnicity. Today, many people in the region identify as Cajuns. Famous Cajuns include Beyonce and Shia LaBeouf.
Many Cajuns speak their own unique French dialect, have their own holidays, traditions, and religions, and – of course, Cajun food.
Cajun food is an entire cuisine, and there are a lot of dishes that are quite varied. However, some stand-out features are the spices and seafood.
Cajun food is famous for its spice blends. Much of the food is extremely spicy – often spicier than typical Korean food. Then, each family has their own blend of spices that they use in their food, which are similar to a curry blend. It normally includes multiple kinds of hot peppers, basil, bay leaves, chives, cloves, garlic, mint, oregano, sage, dried shrimp, cane sugar, and more. It is not unusual to find spice blends with over 20 ingredients.
Then, because Louisiana is close to the ocean, and a very large river, many dishes contain seafood. Some characteristic foods of the cuisine include jambalaya (a seafood rice dish, similar to Spanish paella), Gumbo (seafood curried stew), and maque choux (a stir-fried corn dish).
The owner of the store located in Haeundae is a Korean man who used to live in America, fell in love with the food, and decided to open a store in Busan. Thank you for doing so! Another fascinating fun fact is that he designed the restaurant himself. Overall, he did an amazing job with it.
When you enter the place, although it is a bit small, he designed it for you to feel like you are eating in a fancy restaurant. The vibe is relaxed, there is calm music and landscapes on the screens. It is the perfect combination for you to enjoy your food in peace without disturbances.
When I say Cajun style, I mean that they are trying to be as original as possible. You get your food served in the plastic bag in the middle of the table and are handed some gloves. This is hands-on, lick-your-fingers food.
The way you order here is by starting with the basic, seafood original set. It is 45,000 Won per set which is enough for 2 people. Then, you can start adding your extras.
For extras, there is a 10 shrimp pieces set, for 10,000 won. Which is pretty much worth the flavor. Then there is Jeju’s Crab 15,000 won for 10. And one lobster’s tail for 18,000 won. It can turn out to be a bit pricy, but it seems to be worth it for what you are getting.
You may also add extras such as sausage, corn, broccoli, potatoes, or scallops, each for different prices or quantities yet no more than 3,000 won. Another extra would be Kevin’s sauce for 5,000 won. Which, for me at least, was not spicy, yet for other people, it may be. It was a completely different taste from Korean seasoning.
The restaurant also does takeout! So if you are nearby you can pick up a bag of Cajun food and take it with you.
Kevin’s Boiling Crab is a chain mainly located in Seoul, and the one in Haeundae is the only one in Busan Another fair warning from me is, it was my first time eating Cajun food, therefore, I sadly do not have a way to prove that the flavor is a 100% original, yet I did find it delicious and hope you will find it that way too. 🙂
Kevin's Boiling Crab Haeundae (케빈스보일링크랩 해운대점) Address: 64-1 Undong1-Ro, Haeundae-Gu, Busan Korean address: 부산 해운대구 우동1로 64-1 Operating Hours: 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM Closed: Wednesdays
Kevin's Boiling Crab Yeoksam (케빈스보일링크랩 역삼점) Address: Basement, 408 Eonju-Ro, Gangnam-Gu, Seoul Korean address: 서울 강남구 언주로 408 역삼자이상가 지하1층 B13호 Operating Hours: 04:00 PM - 10:00 PM Closed: Mondays
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