For the unlucky few that are yet to experience, @ministryofcrab is a world-renowned seafood institution that originated in Sri Lanka and since expanded to Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai and many more. It's the brainchild of mahela27 & @sangalefthander and led by chef @dharshanmunidasa.
@visitmelbourne was chosen as global city #8 and I couldn't wait to fly down to try it out. The moment I stepped in, it felt familiar with the crab scale welcoming me home. Melbourne has gone with a modern contemporary fit out, compared to its founding Colombo location housed in a centuries-old Dutch hospital.
We kicked things off with a truly unique crab liver pâté. It takes 10 crabs to serve up this goodness. The taste was punchy on its own. Add in a drop of the kithul treacle (palm sugar syrup) to help expand and open the flavours beautifully, making the result not too overpowering. It was a real flavour bomb.
The signature pepper crab curry was unique, yet traditional. Cooked to perfection with the meat just falling out of its shell. Although it wasn't up to my spice preference, it probably suits the average Melbournian.
I wish you could hear my drumroll. Because O.M.G. the prawn curry that followed was perfection. Cooked and served in a clay pot, it was creamy, flavourful and tasted, felt and smelled just like how ācci used to make it.
This was complemented by the kade bread and super fresh pol sambol. Great texture and nice and spicy.
For those who know me, I am not a huge fan of sweets. So logically, I ordered the coconut crème brûlée. You know what, it actually tasted like coconut, which I know it was meant to, but still hit me as a surprise.