At Ministry of Crab, it's not only just about its namesake but also about flavour-packed Sri Lankan seafood dishes. This sleek restaurant has a lot going for it — not least the freshness and sizes of the cream of the seafood crop; and fear not to ask the chef to bring out the dancing crab for pinch-perfect proof.
With a touch of crustacean flair, the restaurant's decoration sets the stage for a visual game, where crab-inspired details are hidden around your table, challenging you to uncover their clever disguises. From claw-shaped crab crackers to crab ashtrays and bright orange tablecloths reminiscent of cooked crab shells, even the restrooms play along, with "Buck" for the men's and "Jenny" for the women's, cleverly referencing male and female crabs, respectively.
What you need to keep an eye out for, though, is the crab board that proudly showcases the diverse sizes of crab shells. When those shells are lit up, consider it the green light, indicating which size is available for order. The restaurant prides itself on serving wild-caught mud crabs, promising only the best catch of the day sourced from the mangroves of Samut Songkhram and Sri Lanka.
There's a range of options to suit every taste and budget, with prices starting from the ½kg crab (B1,100) to the 900g Large (B2,150) for Thai crabs, all the way up to the Crabzilla, starting at 2kg for B8,250, and every 100g after will cost B500 extra. Also on the menu is an array of freshwater prawns that follow the same pricing and naming systems, going up to, you guessed it, Prawnzilla (B,1280), tipping the scale at more than 500g.
Designed by chef Dharshan Munidasa, whose original Ministry of Crab in Colombo was featured on Asia's 50 Best Restaurants list for seven consecutive years, takes pride in weaving his menu with a dash of Japanese influences. Paying homage to his Japanese-Sri Lankan root, these crustaceans are executed by "Ikejime", a traditional Japanese killing technique for seafood that prevents the release of ammonia caused by stress in preserving the smell and sweetness of their meat. Let's say they died peacefully and deliciously.
Peppery kicks are a given to the signature Pepper crab, igniting a fiery sensation that lingers on the taste buds. The mud crabs are soaked in a sauce made with peppercorns and pepper dashi. Yes, I said soaked, as it's served in Sri Lanka style, unlike what you might find in Chinese and Thai restaurants, in which sauce is typically just coated on the crab. Mop up all the flavours with wood-fired Kada bread (B100), which the bread itself will surprise you with a smoky flavour.
Garlic chilli crab, another signature sauce on the menu, doesn't taste as spicy as it sounds. I tried it with a prawn, and the dish turned heads with an aromatic entrance. The prawn, which served as a whole without back-cutting to preserve its juicy nature, was doused with the tongue-singeing sauce, a multicultural marriage of flavours combining the richness of Italian olive oil, Sri Lankan chilli flakes and Japanese soy sauce. And again, don't forget to dip your bread, but try it with a thick slice of chargrilled Garlic bread (B80) this time.
Bursting with an umami flavour, Crab liver pâté (B390) is perfect for a starter and takes around 15-20 crabs to make one portion. Spread it on melba toast and add a drop of Kithul treacle (palm syrup) to round out the dish with a hint of smoky sweetness.
Kaphrao crab (B490) is their nod to Thailand, and whoa! The fiery spiciness of this dish is on point, approved by my Thai tongue. Dished out on a ceramic crab-shell plate, the dish comes with steamed Japonica rice, and I could help but think of enjoying it with a fried egg.
Coconut Crème Brûlée (B250), a tropical twist on the classic French dessert, is baked to perfection in a coconut shell and finished with a blow torch for a caramelised crust. With each spoonful, you'll experience a harmonious blend of cold and warm, smooth and crunchy, leaving your taste buds in awe of this sensational dessert.
Ministry of Crab Bangkok, at Sam-ed building in Sukhumvit 31, opens Tuesday to Sunday, 12-2.30pm for lunch and 5-11.30pm for dinner. Call 02-116-6220 or visit ministryofcrab.com/bangkok.
