A Budget-Friendly Visit to a Michelin-Starred Restaurant

1. Ministry of Crab—affectionately called “Crab Tribe”—is a gem in central Colombo. Ranked among Asia’s Top 50 Restaurants and holding three Michelin stars, it’s a culinary heavyweight—with branches in Chengdu and Shanghai, too. At over 600 CNY per person, it sounds pricey, but with a little planning, you can打卡 its flavors for around 300 CNY. Here’s how we did it. 🦀🌟 2. The restaurant’s claim to fame? Its crab and shrimp, which are graded into 10 sizes (check the signs in Photos 2 and 3 for details). While a full “feast” might push past 600 CNY per person, a taste-focused visit stays affordable. The menu (Photo 12) has plenty of options, and we marked the safest, most flavorful picks to avoid missteps. 📜💡 3. We went with a group of four—smart, since sharing keeps costs down. First, each of us ordered the smallest shrimp: around $20 per piece. Don’t let “smallest” fool you—they’re 150–200g each (Photo 7), plump and meaty. We chose the butter garlic flavor, and it was a winner: crispy on the outside, tender inside, with a rich sauce that clung to every bite. No regrets here. 🦐🧈 4. Next, we split a “Large” crab—about 900g for $90. We went with a spicy chili-lime glaze, and it was worth every cent: the shell cracked easily, revealing sweet, juicy meat that soaked up the tangy sauce. We also added two loaves of bread for $4 total—perfect for mopping up every drop of shrimp and crab sauce. Pro tip: That sauce mixed with rice? Life-changing (we mentally noted to try it next time). 🍞🍚 5. Total bill: $174, which split four ways came to $43.50 per person—around 300 CNY. For a Michelin-starred spot with this reputation, it’s shockingly good value. The ambiance helped, too: sleek, modern, with a focus on fresh seafood (you can see tanks of live crabs near the entrance), making it feel special without being stuffy. 💰✨ 6. If you’re in Colombo and want to tick a fancy restaurant off your list without emptying your wallet, this is the way to go. Skip the largest crustaceans, share a crab, and stick to classic flavors—you’ll get a taste of why it’s famous, and leave full (and happy). It’s proof that fine dining doesn’t have to mean overspending. 🥳 #MinistryOfCrab #ColomboFineDining #MichelinStarFood #SriLankaEats #BudgetFoodie #FineDiningOnABudget