Manila welcomes one of Asia's 50 Best Restaurants at Shangri-La at The Fort...
Sri Lanka's much acclaimed Ministry of Crab opens today, January 16, 2018, at Shangri-La at TheFort for dinner starting at 6:00 pm. And for the metro's seafood lovers, this is the way to start the new year...
Hailed as one of Asia's 50 Best Restaurants, ranked 25 in the prestigious list, Ministry of Crab is known for its fresh-caught seafood. And yes, the crabs. That evening, Ministry of Crab's founder Chef Dharshan Munidasa (R) shared his famous restaurant's many signature seafood dishes for a tasty preview.
The impressive high ceiling, dark wood tones and vibrant amber glow of Ministry of Crab transports diners to a far away place adding to the dining experience. Exuding subdued elegance, it's the perfect stage for a decadent seafood feast. But's it's also the ideal setting to get down and dirty with your hands with the lavish offerings of succulent crabs.
But before the seafood feast, a tipple at the bar gets you on the right track. Ministry of Crab serves a variety of signature cocktails for that pre-dinner drink, and the Spirit of the Sea, a soothing gin-based cocktail with the subtle sweetness of cucumber and sharp notes of saline mimics a refreshing ocean spray in every sip. This one's a favorite, and I had this all night.
Another round of Spirit of the Sea gets you in the right vibe, opening your palate for the evening's seafood feast. In between sips, Ministry of Crab served a variety of tasty appetizers highlighting the freshest seafood like succulent crab meat with wasabi mayo and creamy avocado on a crisp crostini (R)... 
...and plump shrimps on crisp lettuce topped with sweet and smoky red peppers. The ocean harvest of fresh seafood continued all night long, but Ministry of Crab had another tasty surprise...
Our group was then invited inside the kitchen where Shangri-La at The Fort's Executive Chef, Joris Rycken (R), toured guests where all the magic happens at Ministry of Crab. The preparations for the lavish seafood feast were laid out across the stainless steel counters with the fragrant and briny aroma of seafood greeting guests... 
...for an experience that continues to linger. Consistent with the Ministry of Crab's uncompromising commitment to quality, only the finest and freshest never-frozen live crabs are used for superior flavor. Large trays laden with succulent crabs are prepped by the team for the feast...
...sourced from the country's reputable sustainable suppliers to ensure freshness. But Ministry of Crab imports all the other ingredients from Sri Lanka, including the exotic spices and black peppers that give its prized crab and seafood dishes its unique flavors. It's these flavors that catapulted Ministry of Crab up there on the list of Asia's best restaurants.
Generous lumps of succulent crab meat were then served on crab shells along with a variety of flavorful sauces from Chili Garlic, Chili Pepper and Coconut Cream. And we got to try them all.
Each of the different sauces deliver bold and intense flavors that pair well with buttered bread yet it doesn't overwhelm the delicate briny sweetness of the crab meat. The sweetness of the crab still comes through, with rich and clean flavors that can only come from the freshest live crabs. At Ministry of Crab, you can expect nothing less.
Now it's your turn. Experience dining at one of Asia's 50 Best Restaurants at Ministry of Crab, now open for dinner at Shangri-La at The Fort.
Ministry of Crab is located at Shangri-La at The Fort, 30th Street corner 5th Avenue, Taguig City or call 820-0888 for reservations and inquiries. You can also follow Ministry of Crab Manila on social media with the hashtag #ministryofcrabMNL or @ministryofcrab.manila.
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