W Goa to host Mumbai's Ministry of Crab for a food pop-up featuring Chef Dharshan Munidasa's signature dishes this December

The star of the show is Ministry of Crab’s signature Pepper Crab, cooked in a black pepper stock and finished with hand-crushed peppercorns. Photo Courtesy: W Goa

Oceanfront luxe hotel W Goa to host Mumbai's Ministry of Crab for a delicious pop-up at the award-winning gin bar, Sylvia from December 16 to December 31. It will feature the culinary expertise of celebrity chef Dharshan Munidasa, founder of Ministry of Crab, the award-winning restaurant from Sri Lanka and culinary head, chef Jerry Thomas from the Mumbai outlet.

The Mumbai-based restaurant is doing its first every pop-up in Goa, as it showcases the signature dishes from the renowned crustacean restaurant. Housed in a beautiful heritage site in Khar, the restaurant is known for artfully pairing the best Indian mud crabs, with authentic Sri Lankan ingredients, prepared following Japanese culinary philosophies. Owned by Gourmet Investments Private Limited (GIPL) in India, the master franchise of Ministry of Crab is a part of the Bharti Family office.

The pop-up at W Goa promises a gastronomic journey with a specially curated four-course set menu, available for dinner daily and for lunch and dinner on weekends. It will feature both non-vegetarian and vegetarian options. The non-vegetarian menu will include the Avocado Crab Salad, a stunning combination of steamed and chilled white meat of crab, wasabi mayonnaise, served in an avocado, followed by Garlic Chilli Prawns, served with Kade Bread, inspired by traditional Sri Lankan wood-fired bread, its a dish that reflects the chef's half Japanese and half Sri Lankan heritage, using Sri Lanka's large lake prawns, cooked in olive oil, Japanese soy sauce, garlic and chilli flakes.

The star of the show is Ministry of Crab's signature Pepper Crab, cooked in a black pepper stock and finished with hand-crushed peppercorns, resulting in a flavoursome, mildly spicy sauce to compliment the slightly sweet profile of the fresh crab. Finish your meal on a sweet note with Coconut Crème Brûlée, a tropical island twist on the classic French dessert, created using rich coconut milk and baked to perfection in fresh coconut.

The vegetarians can savour the Avocado Tomato Salad, a refreshing combination of freshly smashed avocado with soy-poached cherry tomatoes, followed by Moc(k) Baked Crab, a flavour bomb that substitutes crab with savoury button mushrooms in a rich béchamel sauce. The main course features a Goan Curry, a rich combination of baby eggplant, button mushrooms, onion rings and coconut vinegar delivering a delightfully Goan flavour. The meal is incomplete without the exotic Coconut Crème Brûlée to mark the sweet finale to your Ministry of Crab dining experience.

Tanveer Kwatra, general manager, W Goa, expressed his excitement, stating, "We're delighted to be hosting the Ministry of Crab pop-up with Chef Dharshan. His delicious signature dishes bring a taste of the distinguished Sri Lankan cuisine to our shores. With Chef Dharshan himself at the helm of the kitchen along with Chef Jerry Thomas kickstarting this pop-up, the event is set to be a success. Knowing his penchant for fresh ingredients, we're sure it's going to be a visual treat and a culinary delight."

Chef Dharshan Munidasa commented on bringing his pop-up menu to W Goa, saying, "I am very excited to bring Ministry of Crab to Goa for the first time. I see a lot of similarities between Goa and Colombo in terms of their love for seafood and I look forward to sharing the best of India's Mud Crab and the spices of Sri Lanka with the diners of Goa during this festive season. We hope this pop-up will add colour and authenticity to the already vibrant food culture of Goa."

The set menu is priced at Rs 6,500 plus taxes per person for non-vegetarians and Rs 4,500 plus taxes per person for vegetarians and will be available for dinner, and for lunch on weekends during the same period. For reservations and inquiries, diners can contact 7821963677.