When Ministry of Crab (MoC) launched its Indian operations in Mumbai in February 2019, it was accompanied by lots of fanfare amidst the presence of the city’s gliterrati. The Sri Lankan premium fine dining seafood restaurant is the brainchild of celebrated Chef and restauranteur Dharshan Munidasa who brought the brand to India in partnership with Sri Lankan cricket legends Mahela Jayawardane and Kumar Sangakkara.
It was introduced in India by Gourmet Investments Pvt Ltd (GIPL), which owns the master franchise rights for MoC in India, in addition to master franchise rights for PizzaExpress for India, and Chili’s Grill and Bar in South and West India.
The long queues since its debut promised that MoC would outmatch the success of the original outlet in the island nation, which has secured its place for eight consecutive years in Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list. Soon, it became the go-to spot for celebrity spotting, adding to the place’s lucre.
While people flocked to the place to prove they have arrived on the social circuit, a year after its successful debut in India, the pandemic struck. MoC was compelled to pivot its operations, but this was all the more challenging given the nature of its culinary offerings. However, it decided to draw out of its shell, and a good thing too – close to 30 per cent hotels and restaurants across the country permanently shut during the two COVID-19 waves while the remaining operational establishments continue to run in losses, according to Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI).
CRESTING UNRULY WAVES
Pre-pandemic, MoC restaurant had an eclectic counter with a backlight, which showcased the crab available that day. When the light is out on a particular variety, it could mean that it is unavailable or was not freshly caught that day.
This was because Chef Dharshan Munidasa was emphatic that the crabs reach MoC alive. “We are not a farm-crab restaurant. Every crab is caught wild on the day, and our menu changes according to their availability. It’s challenging, because no one has done this before. But we won’t use sub-par or frozen seafood,” he stated.
Moreover, as the only establishment of its kind, which focused on mud crabs as its USP, Chef Dharshan Munidasa knew he ill afford to gamble the hard earned brand equity of MoC. During the lockdowns, when dine-in services came to a halt, the restaurant launched its own delivery website in May 2021 and started direct delivery orders.
However, it restricted delivery to a radius of 5 km to maintain quality and product consistency. Tasting success, it soon partnered with Swiggy five months later to amplify its delivery, albeit with a truncated menu. Going forward, it now plans to have a more focused menu to cater to the delivery audience.
BACK IN BUSINESS
MoC is now back, and with a bang of sorts. Celebrating its third anniversary last week, it promised Mumbaikars that they can once again taste Sri Lanka’s iconic Mud Crab. And diners are making a beeline, with their bibs, knives and mallets ready.
Considering the ongoing supply chain challenges in the crisis-ridden Sri Lanka, the restaurant sources the best quality wild caught crabs from Chennai. “All our seafood – crabs, prawns and oysters – are sourced from brand approved vendors, which are of export quality to promise high product consistency. The crabs at MoC are the ones that Indians normally do not get to enjoy in India as they are mostly exported to Asian markets,” said Singhal, COO and Director, GIPL. “Our mud crabs have strict parameters like equal claws, right weight, no broken body parts, with the best meat quality, flavour and content.”
Since it follows a no-freezer policy, supplies are replenished every alternate day to ensure that the produce is fresh. This has resulted in the menu getting slightly restrictive, which some guests can find off-putting.
Shilpa Parekh was disappointed when she visited the outlet recently. “I had visited the restaurant at Colombo some months ago and that experience was amazing. The Mumbai outlet did not live up to my expectations, as not all the seafood was fresh, especially the oysters. I also did not like the Chilli Garlic Crab since it I did not find it fresh,” she complained.
But the restaurant is trying to iron out these post-pandemic kinks. Chef Dharshan Munidasa, a graduate with a double degree from John Hopkins University who also founded the popular Japanese restaurant Nihonbashi, discovered that Sri Lankan crabs are highly popular in Singapore. Over the years, their value has risen and hence, he is working with select suppliers to procure it, teaching them how to choose and grade them. This evolution in learning will eventually ensure that only the best produce makes it to the restaurant’s kitchen.
Housed in the iconic heritage Zaveri House in Khar, the establishment serves the freshest seafood curated by Chef Dharshan Munidasa, which reflects his dual Japanese and Sri Lankan lineage. “The last two years have been extremely challenging for the whole world, especially the hospitality industry and I am super excited to be back in bustling Mumbai to celebrate three-years of Ministry of Crab, Mumbai! The integrity and provenance of ingredients are vital to my food philosophy, and it is sometimes extremely challenging when dealing with live produce. I can’t be prouder of the team at Ministry of Crab, Mumbai for sourcing the highest quality ingredients for my dishes, to plate the best crab of India!” he said.
Ajay added, “As Ministry of Crab completes its third year in Mumbai, we continue to delight our patrons by providing the best experience of high-quality crustaceans in our country. At Ministry of Crab, we use the freshest local ingredients and adhere to a no-freezer policy. An ingredient focused restaurant that pays homage to local produce and celebrates the iconic Mud Crabs, and the majestic Freshwater Prawns.”
Ministry of Crab was launched in Colombo in December 2011, after Chef Dharshan’s TV show ‘Culinary Journeys with Dharshan’, filmed in Singapore, featuring the Sri Lankan Mud Crab in an episode. He decided to epitomize this crustacean with a restaurant, and thus Ministry of Crab, which currently has outposts in Shanghai, Chengdu, Manila, Maldives and Bangkok.
The original establishment is housed in a 400-year-old historic Dutch Hospital, which became available following a new refurbishment project of colonial buildings by the country’s Urban Development Authority, after years of neglect. Following its transformation to a famed shopping precinct, it became an iconic tourist attraction and is recognized as a heritage site.
Closer home, GIPL is testing the waters to expand MoC’s presence across India. And it is doing this by organizing pop-up events in cities, like its recent one in Bengaluru, where people can try Chef Dharshan Munidasa’s creations. It is also innovating with localized culinary offerings like a crab biryani which should soon find its way into the menus. Till then, those who want to dig into the celebrated chef’s Pepper Crab will have to hop over to Mumbai, and queue up with a laden wallet.
