The most notable steward of Sri Lankan crustacean culinaria, Ministry of Crab, is finally expected to debut in KL after a warmly received grand opening in neighbouring Singapore just last July.
Famed for its gargantuan ‘Crabzilla’ mud crabs that weigh in excess of 2 kilos, the Colombo-based restaurant bears the honour of being one of the two restaurants from the island country to be inducted into Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants List between the years 2015 to 2022.
Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Crab opens in KL
Jointly founded by self-taught chef-restauranteur Dharshan Munidasa and cricket legends Mahela Jayawardena, Kumar Sangakkara, Ministry of Crab currently operates across six cities in Asia, which include its native Colombo, Singapore, Bangkok, Shanghai, Chengdu, Malé, and Mumbai. Kuala Lumpur will join the fray as its latest expansion into Southeast Asia.
As the only Sri Lankan dining destination to focus specifically on the country’s most famed seafood export, the mud crab, Ministry of Crab prides itself on the provenance of a fresh catch for every dish, with its parent company in Colombo supplying a new batch of wild-caught crabs and prawns to each global outpost three times a week. This is complemented by Munidasa’s longstanding commitment to Japanese culinary technique, which brings to the fore well-balanced flavours that strike a clear balance with the inherent freshness of their crabs.
Best enjoyed with minimal distractions on the palate, the Pure Crab cooking method is steamed ahead of your arrival to lock in its juices, before being served with a side of warm butter, a tangy calamansi ponzu sauce, and chilli vinegar for a mild hit of fresh spice.
Alternatively, crabs and prawns can also be had with another famed Sri Lankan export – black pepper. In tribute to the island’s ‘King of Spice’, the Pepper Crab combines hand-crushed peppercorns, whole peppercorns, and a peppercorn dashi stock, for a fiery delight.
Located in Lalaport BBCC’s latest lifestyle and hospitality hub, TUAH 1895, the restaurant will join a host of other fresh new entrants from the global gastronomic scene such as AS I AM by Thailand’s acclaimed Chef Ton.
Address: GF-03 M-02, TUAH 1895, 2, Jln Hang Tuah, Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
Operating hours:
- 5.30pm – 10.30pm
- Opens daily
Feature and hero image credits: Ministry of Crab/Instagram