The Ceylon Crab, Colombo’s best-kept crustacean secret

Text and pix by Madushka Balsuriya

With the island abundant in its supply of shellfish, crab in particular has long held a special place in many a Sri Lankan heart (and stomach), and as such, when it comes to a quintessentially Sri Lankan communal meal, there really isn’t anything to beat a crab feast.

Unfortunately for most, a quality meal centred round this most delicious of crustaceans is very often priced well beyond the remit of the average diner, thus firmly putting it into the ‘special occasion’ category. Well, that is unless you’re one of the few privy to Colombo’s best-kept crab-centric secret – The Ceylon Crab.

Run out of her home on Park Road in Colombo 5 by home-cook Christine Stephens, The Ceylon Crab has been serving up outstanding seafood – primarily focused on lagoon crab, though fish, prawns and lobster are also available – for the last six years. And while there are many establishments that serve as high quality seafood, it’s The Ceylon Crab’s prices that prompt the ol’ cartoon double-take.

With prices ranging from Rs. 3,200- 4,200 per kilogram, the crabs come in a four sizes – medium (400-500g), large (500-700g), extra-large (700-900g), and double XL (900g upwards). All the crabs are also export quality, with Christine’s prior experience as a seafood exporter coming to the fore when identifying the best quality crabs.

“I was exporting seafood to Singapore and Hong Kong from about 2008, and I used to prepare dishes for my family with some of the items that were not up to export standard,” she tells Daily FT, as she explains the formative phase of the business. 

“Then in 2012 I stopped the exporting, and some friends suggested I do this. At the time this crab mania was just picking up, so it was a good time to start the business. Now everyone is selling lagoon crab, but back then it wasn’t the case.

“I used to buy from Kalpitiya and Puttalam when I was doing the exports, plus I had some suppliers. It is those people I deal with even now. Because, you see, sometimes the crab can have very little meat in it, and it’s important to deal with people who know how to spot quality.”

All the crab The Ceylon Crab serves is also extremely fresh, with nothing ever frozen.

“Usually on the weekends I buy a stock and keep, but nothing in the freezer. The crabs live for a couple of days so they remain fresh; but if for example a crab dies en route, I won’t use it.”

With Christine also doing all the cooking herself, her time can at times get spread a little thin. As such she prefers orders at least one night in advance, though she often accommodates same day orders.

“During the week if you tell me the previous night or early morning around 7, then I can get organised for the day. On the weekends, if there are a lot of orders, I would prefer it the previous night.”

All this of course means that Christine’s overheads are almost non-existent, and aids in The Ceylon Crab’s continuing ability to offer the best value-for-money crab in Colombo bar none.

A crab feast

For most, a quality meal centred round this most delicious of crustaceans is very often priced well beyond the remit of the average diner, thus firmly putting it into the ‘special occasion’ category. Well, that is unless you’re one of the few privy to Colombo’s best-kept crab-centric secret – The Ceylon Crab

On to the actual matter of the review, we were treated to crab cooked in four variations – Butter, Singapore Chilli, Black Pepper, and Crab with Murunga Leaves. This is not the first time Daily FT has had the pleasure of reviewing these dishes, and it’s safe to say the quality remains as high as ever two years on, with Christine’s personal touch ensuring the juicy, tender flesh of the Sri Lankan lagoon crab is championed exquisitely.

The Butter Crab remains an overall favourite. Geared towards a more Western palate, it we went outrageously well with The Ceylon Crab’s latest creation, the Crab Rice. The rice, served inside a crab shell, is a visual delight, while the infused crab flavour makes it one of the best crab rices in Colombo.

On a personal level, a favourite was the Singapore Chilli, with its slightly sweeter sensibilities really tickling my taste buds the right way. Add some warm roast paan to the mix and you have a definite winner.

Such is the consistency across the board though, that my dining companions each had their own highlight. For one, the Murunga Leaf-infused Crab was among “the best they’ve ever tasted,” while for another the Black Pepper Crab was “a sleeper hit,” that he felt may be unfairly overshadowed by some of the other more popular offerings.

Unrivalled value

But while we may have all had our own takes on the dish of the night, one thing we agreed unanimously on was the value. Our meal, despite covering four separate dishes, comprised two large crabs (500-700g), which itself included four half bodies, and four claws; this would set you back about roughly Rs. 3,700, which is outrageous value. Even with the accompanying crab rice, which is yet to be priced, it is undoubtedly the cheapest crab meal anywhere in Colombo, and possibly Sri Lanka.

With The Ceylon Crab serving up its delicious Baked Crab (check out our previous review), as well as prawn, lobster and fish (lemon, grilled, baked) dishes, The Ceylon Crab really is your one-stop seafood dining solution. 

Since launching in 2013, The Ceylon Crab’s list of admirers has grown primarily through word-of-mouth, a handful of reviews, and some newspaper ads. Christine knows there’s more she could do to grow the business, but then there’s a chance her personal touch may be compromised, not to mention it’ll eat into her other hobbies.

“I do some painting also, I want to have a bit of time for that as well.”

You can find The Ceylon Crab on facebook.comtheceyloncrab, or contact them on 071929032 or 117323231.