How Razzoo’s Amps Up The Big Easy Experience
When you’re a New Orleans-inspired restaurant concept, you’d better bring the fun and the flavor — in the food, a festive atmosphere and, especially, the adult beverages. That’s in part why Razzoo’s Cajun Cafe underwent an entire revamp of its drink menu last summer.
Razzoo’s, which currently operates 23 locations in Texas, Oklahoma and North Carolina, introduced nearly a dozen new drinks that emphasize fruity flavors and vibrant colors designed to match the brand’s lively ambiance.
“Our cocktail menu undergoes seasonal reviews to keep things fresh and exciting,” says Shaena Tuohy, senior director of marketing. The full menu redo is part of the beverage team staying on top of trending flavors and guest preferences.
Razzoo’s offers three shareable fishbowl cocktails.
The new menu includes French Quarter-inspired sips such as the Remy Paradise Punch, made with Remy Martin VSOP Cognac, Don Q Piña rum, Finest Call watermelon puree, pineapple juice and Finest Call single pressed lime juice; the Moonshine Mary, with Ole Smoky White Lightnin’ moonshine and Zing Zang Bloody Mary mix; and the Coco-Lotta, with Teremana reposado tequila, Finest Call premium citrus sour, Coco Reàl cream of coconut, pineapple juice and a Kraken Black Spiced Rum float.
Another new rum drink is the Zydeco Zombie, made with Bacardi Superior rum, Don Q Gold rum, Mr. Boston Triple Sec, Finest Call citrus sour, mango puree, Grenadine and Red Bull Yellow Edition. A vodka-based addition is called Dis ‘N Dat, featuring New Amsterdam peach vodka, Disaronno Amaretto, lemon juice, Fever-Tree ginger beer and Twisted Tea.
And the Wild Rona-Rita, with Teremana reposado tequila, Monin desert pear syrup, Monin wildberry puree and Finest Call premium citrus sour, topped with a Coronita, is a newcomer to Razzoo’s Margarita lineup.
Porch Pounders and fishbowls
Razzoo’s new menu introduces the Porch Pounders, a selection of spiked flavored lemonades served in 22-oz. mason jars and priced at $13. The Porch Pounder lineup includes Strawberry Moonshine Lemonade (Old Smoky White Lightnin’ moonshine, Reàl Strawberry, Minute Maid lemonade and Sprite); Crown Peach Lemonade (Crown Royal Regal Peach whiskey, Reàl peach and Minute Maid lemonade); and Berry Barrel Lemonade (Jack Daniels, Reàl blackberry, Finest Call citrus sour, Minute Maid lemonade and Sprite).
As part of the menu overhaul, Razzoo’s brought back its fan-favorite Gator Punch, a mammoth 89-oz. cocktail served in a shareable fishbowl. It’s a concoction of New Amsterdam vodka, Don Q Cristal rum, Mr. Boston banana liqueur, Skyy Infusions citrus vodka, The Kraken spiced rum, Southern Comfort and Gator Punch juice.
The restaurant also rolled out two more shareable fishbowls: The Big Blue Mamou (Skyy Infusions citrus vodka, Mr. Boston Blue Curaçao, Finest Call premium citrus sour and Sprite); and the Pontchartrain Punch (Captain Morgan spiced rum, Mr. Boston banana liqueur, Mr. Boston Blue Curaçao, pineapple juice, orange juice and Sprite).
What are some of the most popular cocktails at Razzoo’s? The Remy Paradise Punch, Frozen Mardi Rita and Gator Punch, Tuohy says. Another guest favorite is The Worm Burner, made with Southern Comfort, Tito’s vodka, Finest Call Grenadine and topped with gummy worms and Don Q 151 rum.
When it comes to cocktail trends and preferences, “Across all locations, our guests love bold sweet flavors, bright colors and booze-forward,” says Tuohy. “We always aim to introduce our guests to new flavors while keeping their all-time favorites on the menu,” she adds, so Razzoo’s releases limited-time offer drinks a few times a year.
About 14% of Razzoo’s sales come from alcohol: 10.6% from liquor, 2.9% from beer and just 0.2% from wine. Cocktails are clearly the focus of the beverage menum; the company works with Patrick Henry Creative Promotions on cocktail innovation.
Razzoo’s offers about a dozen beers on draft and around 10 by the bottle. Tuohy says that the company mandates national beer brands, with the only exception being North Carolina.
Since wine is such a small percentage of sales, she notes, “we choose wines based on flavor profile and affordability for our guests,” with brands such as Chloe, Josh Cellars and 19 Crimes.
A section of the drinks lists titled “The Hard Thangs” includes hard ciders, seltzers and teas. Nonalcoholic options range from flavored lemonade and teas to assorted soft drink brands.
Ragin’ Cajun
The first Razzoo’s Cajun Cafe opened in 1991 in Dallas. Cofounder Jeff Powell, a fan of the lively culture and spicy food of the Cajun country, saw “an opportunity to bring the down-home fun and flavors of the Bayou to more people,” Tuohy says.
Razzoo’s specializes in scratch-made Cajun dishes, colorful drinks and a lively atmosphere that evokes New Orleans.
Before starting concept, the founders had diverse backgrounds with a common thread in the hospitality industry. They combined their experiences in restaurants and their understanding of authentic Cajun cuisine to create Razzoo’s.
According to the company’s history section on its website, “Razzoo’s was always meant to be something different. We leaned into being gaudy, edgy, and unapologetically Cajun.”
The cuisine highlights made-from-scratch bold, flavorful, Cajun dishes such as gumbo, crawfish, etouffee, jambalaya and hand-battered fried seafood. For example, the appetizers, identified on the menu as “Le First Chomp,” include Crispy Fried Gator Tail, Firemouth Wings and Mardi Party Shrimp.
Spurred by strong performance during the past three years, Razzoo’s is gearing up for growth and plans to expand into Arkansas, Tennessee and Florida, and increase its footprint in Oklahoma, Texas and North Carolina.
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