Ministry of Crab Review: Famous Sri Lankan Restaurant Opens In SG With XXL Crabs And More

Ministry of Crab has XXL crabs at Dempsey Hill

As someone who would choose to have crab for my death row meal, dining at the newly-opened Ministry of Crab in Singapore was a dream come true. And how could it not be, given that the original Ministry of Crab in Sri Lanka is considered one of the best crab restaurants in the world? There’s also the fact that it is one of the only two Sri Lankan restaurants to ever make it onto the prestigious Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list—with such laurels, every crab fan should be pining to try their fare.

This Singapore outlet is the brand’s sixth international outlet, and features a striking menu curated by its founder, Chef Dharshan Munidasa. On that same menu is the restaurant’s “constitution”, which promises, among other things, that it only serves seafood “of the highest quality and freshest form”.

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Food at Ministry of Crab

To ensure optimal freshness, all live mud crabs are air-flown from Sri Lanka three times a week. These crabs are then categorised according to their weight, with the lightest being the ½ Kilo Crab ($75++), and the heaviest being the Crabzilla (from $350++), which weighs upwards of 2kg.

Once you’ve selected the weight of your crab, choose from the seven preparation methods available on the menu. We were told that the most unadulterated way to enjoy the crab is to have it steamed, then chilled to enhance its flavours—which is why this rendition is aptly called the Pure Crab. The downside is that it requires a long prep time, so be sure to pre-order this crab at least six hours in advance of your meal here.

If there is such a thing as the platonic form of a crab’s taste, then this was surely as close as it gets. Without any sauces to vie for your attention, the crab itself was remarkably fresh, sweet, and succulent. And perhaps most crucially, every part of the crab—from the claws to the body—was gloriously meaty.

If you insist on having the Pure Crab with some sauces, then you’re in luck, for the dish is served with melted butter, chilli vinegar, and calamansi ponzu on the side. These sauces can add new dimensions to the dish, but we recommend you try these only after you’ve tried the crab by itself.

The Garlic Chilli Crab is another great way to enjoy the mud crabs here. Alongside the classic garlic and chilli combination, Italian olive oil and Japanese soy sauce played a vital role in giving the dish its peppery aroma and savoury goodness.

I say this with full earnestness: having all of that flavour packed into this sweet and plump meat was simply divine.

Aside from crab, be sure to try the Garlic Chilli Prawn (from $25++) as well. The prawn we tried was excellent—large, juicy, and really fresh. And like with the Garlic Chilli Crab, the flavours here were top-notch.

Cracking open the prawn’s head revealed that it was packed with bright orange roe, and we were told it was best to mix that into the garlic chilli sauce and then soak it all up with Garlic Bread ($7++).

Imagine Kade (traditional Sri Lankan street bread) garlic bread, fluffy and grilled to perfection, scooping up all that umami-laden roe and flavourful sauce. That’s the incredible experience I had with this prawn-and-bread combination.

While Ministry of Crab’s fare deserves heaps of praise, I must point out that, in case you haven’t already noticed, prices here are really quite hefty. Even when strictly compared to seafood restaurants, most of us are likely going to have a dent in our wallets by the time we are done eating, so do keep that in mind before choosing to dine here.

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Ambience at Ministry of Crab

Image credit: @ministryofcrab.sg

Located among the enclave of restaurants that is Dempsey Hill, Ministry of Crab has spacious and stylish interiors that can accommodate up to 68 diners. Its open kitchen concept means you can see all the crustacean action unfold before the dishes arrive on your table in their completed form.

Ministry of Crab isn’t the easiest to access—if you’re using public transport, your best bet is to take a short bus ride from Napier MRT Station, then walk about 10 minutes to reach your destination.

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The verdict

Get past the hefty prices and you’re likely to find that Ministry of Crab offers a truly one-of-a-kind experience for all things crustacean. If you’re a fan of crab like myself, then I cannot recommend it enough.

For marinated crab and raw prawns in Outram, read our Da Niu Teochew Seafood Restaurant review. For the seafood bucket experience, read our best seafood bucket restaurants in Singapore guide.

Address: Block 06 Dempsey Road, Singapore 249683
Opening hours: Wed-Mon 6pm to 11pm
Tel: 8389 0948
Website
Ministry of Crab is not a halal-certified eatery.

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Photos taken by Casandra Nicholas.
This was a media tasting at Ministry of Crab.