Last week, while browsing the Twitter-verse, I found an event that I thought would be fun to write about for this BandKSaturdays blog post. IKEA Tampa (follow them on Twitter: @IKEA_Tampa) tweeted about their annual crayfish party happening on August 17th. Having never tried crayfish before, let alone much Swedish cuisine, I was in.

This is a popular event that takes place at many IKEAs across the nation. Knowing this, I decided to buy our tickets in advance.

I had to fill out some basic information on a form after purchase. Pre-purchasing the tickets was a great idea, as half of the page was taken by other 6pm diners. I’m not sure if our seating was sold out, but the next time this party comes around, be safe and purchase your tickets in advance. While I was there, I asked for a menu, but they didn’t have any. Here is the most accurate menu I could find (items may vary from store to store): http://news.yahoo.com/celebrate-summer-ikea-swedish-crayfish-party-only-9-180531320.html . Needless to say, this whet my palate for Friday.

My sister and brother-in-law joined Bryce and I in this Swedish cuisine endeavor. We arrived about 20 minutes before our seating. Once we got upstairs and saw the line of hungry customers waiting, I was glad we did.

This time in line gave us an opportunity to admire the festive decorations hanging from the ceiling. Look closely and you’ll notice that the red banners are crayfish.

I can’t express how efficient this event was. Even with the crowd, we never had to needlessly wait. About 10 minutes til 6pm, an IKEA employee moved through the line passing out wristbands and collecting ticket stubs.

At last 6pm arrived and it was time to indulge in the crayfish feast! Just before reaching the buffet, you could read a little history behind Swedish crayfish parties.

About this time, a DJ began playing festive music that really took the experience to the next level. Servers, dressed to the nines in black vests and ties, were dancing along to classic beach tunes that transported us from the store to the coast. And, with that, we made our way through the buffet.

I always take too much during the first trip through every buffet every time anywhere, and this one was no different. My plate was packed with goodies, not to mention an entire bowl of crayfish. For added efficiency, the staff had pre-scooped bowls of crayfish for grab and go. So, this bowl…

…came from this beautiful vat of crayfish.

My first time eating crayfish was an intensely messy experience. They were seasoned with dill and served cold. All in all, I ate one and a half bowls of the little creatures. Needless to say, by the end of all that shell crackin’, juice was dripping down my arm, my hands were covered in dill, and several shredded napkins cluttered the table. IKEA was prepared for this, however. Everyone’s place setting included a wet wipe, bib, and napkins. Good thing!

I was expecting more from the taste of the crayfish (they were quite bland), but the cooking method was true to how Sweden does it, I’m sure. I dipped each piece of crayfish in some cocktail sauce to add some kick to them. Besides that, here’s a glimpse at the two plates I indulged in during the party.

Some of the highlights on this plate were the prawns, lingonberry sauce, and those delectable Swedish meatballs. The prawns were tender and tasted great with the cocktail sauce. The lingonberry sauce, which tastes a lot like cranberry sauce but sweeter, convinced me that I must return to IKEA at around Thanksgiving time to purchase this for the big dinner. Strangely, the sauce tasted great with the cubes of Swiss cheese. I’ve had IKEA’s meatballs before, but they’re always a welcome treat. I wish the serving tray had more of the sauce in it, though. I was scraping the bottom trying to get as much as possible on my plate.

Plate #2’s highlight was, without a doubt, the deviled egg. The little shrimp on top tasted wonderful with the smooth yolk mixture. I almost made a third trip to the buffet just for some more of those, but remembered that there was an entire dessert table my sweet tooth was waiting for.

All of the desserts were artfully arranged on a table in the center of the room.

The biggest hit at our table was the chocolate mousse. There were two other mousses to choose from; lingonberry and cookies and cream. The lingonberry was a little bland, while the cookies and cream wasn’t bad. The best part about the mousse (besides the taste)? THE TINY SILVER SPOONS! We all had a laugh eating with the tiny utensil.

Here’s a look at my dessert plate, featuring the aforementioned chocolate and lingonberry mousses.

My second favorite dessert item was the pink concoction seen above. It was a vanilla cake with raspberry filling topped with a fluffy white substance that tasted like ice cream. Combined, all these sweets provided a satisfying end to a unique dining experience.

I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect from this buffet, but was pleasantly surprised by the fresh, culture-infused food that awaited. As mentioned before, these crayfish parties are happening at IKEAs across the nation this summer. For $9.99 you’re guaranteed a great meal in a fun atmosphere. Check IKEA’s website to see if a party is coming to your area: http://www.ikea.com/ . If you missed it this year, put this event on your 2013 calendar.

Happy crackin’!