Houston’s Red Circle Ice Cream has added its signature crawfish ice cream back to the spring menu at its Chinatown location, offering a sweet, salty and spicy treat topped with a whole cooked crawfish during peak crawfish season.
Owner Nickey Ngo first created the flavor in 2019 after an idea struck during a family seafood boil. The shop at 6838 Ranchester Drive now brings the limited-time dessert back every spring — marking its seventh year — because customers start calling as early as late January asking for its return.
The process begins by cooking live crawfish in melted butter, garlic, Cajun spices and other seasonings. Those juices and flavors are then strained and mixed into a sweet cream base before it is churned into smooth ice cream. Each scoop arrives topped with a full boiled crawfish, claws included.
Ngo recommends twisting off the tail to eat the meat first, then using the head like a spoon to scoop the ice cream for the full sweet-and-spicy experience.
Customer reactions range from hesitation to pleasant surprise. Many describe the flavor as creamy and bold with just enough kick, far from a typical dessert but worth trying.
The quirky offering has become an annual conversation starter that draws both curious newcomers and repeat visitors looking for something different in Houston’s vibrant food scene.
Red Circle Ice Cream is known for creative, handcrafted flavors and pairings such as churros or Hong Kong-style egg waffles. The crawfish version stands out even among its adventurous menu, generating buzz each spring.
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Tell your Smart Speaker to "PLAY 1080 KRLD"
Sign Up to receive our KRLD Insider Newsletter for more news
Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
The process begins by cooking live crawfish in melted butter, garlic, Cajun spices and other seasonings.
The process begins by cooking live crawfish in melted butter, garlic, Cajun spices and other seasonings.
