Anyone who has been to Sri Lanka has certainly heard of the award-winning restaurant Ministry of Crab, from the chef Dharshan Munidasa, which specializes in crab !! The restaurant that is ranked as one of the 50 Best Restaurants in Asia in 2018 has just opened a branch in Shangri-La at The Fort, in Manila, Philippines.
In the new Ministry of Crab, guests will be able to enjoy a unique gastronomic experience in the best of emblematic and typical dishes, based on seafood, contrasting with a colonial architectural setting inspired by the flag of Colombo, capital of Sri Lanka.
The menu presents signature recipes
Among the options, the famous Crab Pepper it's the chili crab, in addition to versions prepared in the best Filipino style, such as guinataan, made with coconut milk and pepper, and the pinakurat, specialty based on seasoned coconut vinegar. Finally, a sweet note, with a special menu of desserts with flavors from Sri Lanka and the Philippines, such as agar-agar, kulfi, pistachio and the famous and succulent Filipino mango, enrich the journey of flavors and textures.
Guests can also sample Sri Lankan-inspired cocktails from a drink list specially created by famed Manila mixologist Ulysse Jouannead. It is worth remembering that in the 5th century, Sri Lanka served as a seaport for trade between Asia and the West, particularly for spices, paving the way for its nickname of Spice Island.
Jouanneaud pays homage to the country's spice roots, incorporating ingredients like cinnamon and ginger into cocktails. The restaurant also offers craft ginger beer, specially prepared distillates and a varied selection of teas, a tribute to Sri Lanka – the largest tea producing country in the world – and the birthplace of Ceylon tea.
Ministry of Crab, Manila is the Shangri-La Group's third collaboration with Chef Munidasa, following the successes of a pop-up restaurant at Shangri-La Hotel, At The Shard, London and Kaema Sutra, a restaurant in Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo.