Eat This: We Try the Crawfish Souffle at Rise No. 1

Rise No. 1, the souffle restaurant in North Dallas, recently closed its location in Houston but is soon to open in Austin. 

And outside of that news, there’s a crawfish souffle you can get right now.

The restaurant had a playful Instagram post about it (a crawfish does not arrive poking out of your meal, as pictured there).

Rise is one of those places we just assume will keep being there. It also happens to be my best friend’s favorite restaurant, so I at least knew a companion to take with me to try this thing.

I can see why it’s my friend’s favorite spot. To be fair, I think he was the only dude patron at the weekday lunch hours that day — I don’t know why that is. There’s something that makes it a perfect ladies-who-lunch place.

I like the people-who-eat places, and it’s coincidentally one of those, too. Start with the marshmallow soup — a better version of a tomato-basil soup. A tomato soup with just enough drizzle of pesto (we’d welcome more) is the base of three large marshmallows — they look and feel of the s'mores ingredient, but they’re better because they’re really goat cheese.

Now to the souffle.

Honestly, the way I feel about this souffle is the same as most others and risotto, too: The repetitive flavor makes me crave a break.

The crawfish souffle, on special for “a short time” at Rise, has tiny bits of crawfish mixed in with — so much — Gruyere cheese ($22). It’s perfectly delightful, though unbalanced with the crawfish-to-cheese ratio throughout. The crawfish is sauteed in butter and “Cajun spices” before going into the mix, and it’s a pleasant way to partake in the season without sucking a crustacean’s head.

What’s best is if you take a friend who might happen to want the mushroom-truffle souffle ($20). Also wonderfully flavored on its own, it can be made greater with a break. It turns out this and the crawfish make the perfect complement. So go with a friend, or go by yourself and order two souffles.

Either way, this crawfish souffle is worth ordering.

Rise No. 1, 5360 W. Lovers Lane (North Dallas). Open 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday.