Ikea Crayfish Fest

[rlibkind]

The Ikea on Columbus Blvd. will hold a Swedish crayfish festival tonight from 6 to 9 p.m. Tickets are limited to 250, and as of late yesterday afternoon more than 200 had been sold.

The menu is unlimited crayfish and meatballs, along with soup, applecake, and probably french fries, though not the traditional meatball accompaniment of mashed potatoes.

Absolut vodka and Flying Fish brewery will be handling out samples of their wares.

Lake crayfish are a staple of Swedish summers, hence the Ikea fest which is the first one held by the Philadelphia store. A couple of other Ikeas in this country have held them.

Price is less than $13 a head, including taxes, for the all-you-can-eat repast. A ticket also entitles you to 15% off at the Swedish food market on the first floor, which will stay open until 10 p.m. to accommodate festival attendees. I see Lingonberries and Greenland shrimp in my future.

Expect lots of blue and yellow decorations. The event is co-sponsored by the Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce.

[jmbrightman]

Since the meatballs are served in brown gravy with jelly on the side, is it rude to ask if the crayfish are served in some unfamiliar way?

[rlibkind]

Since the meatballs are served in brown gravy with jelly on the side, is it rude to ask if the crayfish are served in some unfamiliar way?

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Just simple steamed/boiled crayfish. Akavit, Beer or Vodka are the preferred accompaniments. Lingonberries are only for meatballs or dessert.

[philadining]

Do the crayfish require any assembly, and if so, does IKEA provide a tool and a perplexing pictographic instruction sheet?

[rlibkind]

Do the crayfish require any assembly, and if so, does IKEA provide a tool and a perplexing pictographic instruction sheet?

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Just the opposite. You need a de-construction manual.

More on that jelly: no more weird than cranberry sauce with turkey; for all practical purposes, lingonberries are a Northern European variety of cranberry.

The fest was a blast, the crayfish delish. I spoke with the head chef/food service manager, and he said he was concerned he wouldn't have enough, but it turned out it was plenty, with lots left over. The Swedish Am. C of C pretty much populated the entire event and conducted a raffle as well as an auction for EWR-Stockholm tickets. The event looked like a great success, so I expect it will be repeated next summer.

Absolut brought the Kurrant (sp?) and one other flavor; Flying Fish, Summer Farmhouse Ale and an Amber. Absolut was mixing cocktails, but they were willing to pour shots, too, which is much more in keeping with Scandinavian drinking tradition than cocktails; basically you accompany your akavit (which is a particular type of vodka flavored by one of many different herbs, though the real thing should include caraway) with a beer. That's what i did.

[lemniscate]

I've bought the frozen marinated crayfish at my local Ikea and winged it myself on how to eat the bugs. Great fun and a wonderful mess. The brined crayfish are tasty, though we were woefully missing the aquavit. I think you have to be a little bit drunk to try your first crayfish.....

[hathor]

The menu is unlimited crayfish and meatballs, along with soup, applecake, and probably french fries, though not the traditional meatball accompaniment of mashed potatoes.

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Honestly you stopped me dead in my tracks with that menu. Unlimited crayfish and meatballs...what a combo! Then again just seeing the words unlimited crayfish would certainly turn my head.

Sounds like it was some good, tasty fun.

[rlibkind]

Honestly you stopped me dead in my tracks with that menu. Unlimited crayfish and meatballs...what a combo!    Then again just seeing the words unlimited crayfish would certainly turn my head.

Sounds like it was some good, tasty fun.

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As you can imagine, the meatballs (and mashed potatoes and french fries) were there for folks who didn't want to get their hands dirty or just don't eat shellfish from the shell; plus for the kids. I didn't see too many of the shell buckets set on each table get filled.

[Holly Moore]

Sorry, I find metric crayfish too complicated to eat. They don't fit American fingers.

[Bluehensfan]

Sorry, I find metric crayfish too complicated to eat.  They don't fit American fingers.

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You just insert an allen wrench in the shell and after a few dozen turns...

Edited July 18, 2008 by Bluehensfan (log)

[percyn]

I wish they would serve Reindeer like they do in Sweden.....hmmmm