LaReeca Rucker
The Clarion-Ledger
From the archives Sept. 26, 2010
Volunteer firefighter Reed Abraham had just finished extinguishing a house fire on Jan. 2, 2002, and was loading up hoses around 1 a.m. when he was dispatched to another blaze.
The Delta State University student soon realized Crawdad’s, a popular Merigold restaurant in which he often ate, was burning to the ground.
It seemed a small piece of charcoal that had fallen on the wooden floor sparked a blaze. The building, at the time, had no sprinkler system.
The restaurant was rebuilt in a little more than four months by employees and community members.
Abraham, who today manages the restaurant, still uses charcoal.
“Charcoal makes us unique,” he said. “No other restaurants I’ve known use charcoal. Some of the best steak houses in the country don’t use charcoal because it’s not easy for them.”
Established in 1984 by Andrew M.W. Westerfield, Crawdad’s began as a take-out crawfish shack. Today, it serves dinners as large as six courses and can seat more than 350 people.
“We double the popularity of the town of Merigold on Friday and Saturday night,” Abraham said.
Enter and you’ll see an antler chandelier and a variety of mounted animal heads, including a cougar, caribou, elk, moose, lion, leopard, wild boar and dik-diks, small African antelopes.
“A lot of people who hunt all over Mississippi will come and eat with us,” Abraham said. “It’s kind of a tradition for people who come to the Delta to eat at Crawdad’s.”
Abraham said Crawdad’s is known for its steaks and crawfish, which are in season from December to June.
The restaurant features several dining areas, including the main safari room that contains a full bar, a stage for bands, two TVs and mounted animals that are native to the continent.
There are also three private dining areas.
A room with a view of the charcoal grill pits allows guests to watch the chef in action. This is being transformed into a fine dining area with a granite bar and an expanded wine list.
“It will be a restaurant within a restaurant called Merigold’s Fine Dining,” Abraham said. “Now you can have two different options. But just because we are going upscale doesn’t mean we are going crazy with our prices.”
A special section of the new area will feature a tribute to nearby McCartys Pottery.
Greenville native David Wright, a graduate of the Le Cordon Bleu school of culinary arts, is the star chef. The Delta State graduate earned a degree in finance, but wanted to cook.
“I wasn’t ready yet to sit in an office with a finance degree,” said Wright, whose specialty is Grouper Gautier. The fish is served under a lump of crabmeat and Parmesan topping over a crawfish cake.
Merigold is also home to The Gallery restaurant at 100 Sunflower St. It’s owned by the same folks who own McCartys Pottery.
Like the pottery studio, it is surrounded by foliage, and you must know where you’re going to find it.
The building’s rustic exterior is enhanced by an outdoor courtyard and seating area, and the inside is a delight. Tables are decorated with McCartys Pottery plates, vases and serving dishes.
Moon River plays as the sun beams through French doors in rooms decorated with antiques and sculpture.
Since 1991, it has been a place where special events, like anniversaries, bridal and baby showers, are held. Lunch is served from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily, but it’s a good idea to make reservations.
There are usually two lunch options. Shrimp crepes, spinach sunflower, and Merigold tomatoes were recently served on McCartys Pottery. Chocolate cobbler topped with vanilla ice cream came in a pottery goblet.
“It’s a hobby for Uncle Lee (McCarty),” said Stephen Smith, who helps run the business side of McCartys Pottery and The Gallery. “He loves cooking, recipes and the restaurant business.”