Bar Asra - Vancouver, British Columbia

Mark J.

If I could give them more stars I would! This is now my new favourite restaurant in the city. I went with 3 other friends and we shared everything. We had the Murtabak, sweet and sour pork belly, charred paneer tart, ahi tuna crudo (make sure you ask for their bread to soak up the delicious sauce) steamed bao bun, beef kad pra kao, and sea bass. For dessert we had one of each, crème brûlée cheesecake, Belgian dark chocolate mousse and the Dubai chocolate bar. Every bit of food was full of flavour and perfectly balanced. Standouts for me were the paneer tart and the sea bass, but I would eat any of the dishes I had, again! The desserts were all delicious and surprisingly not too sweet. I thought the Dubai chocolate bar was going to be super sweet but it wasn’t. Oh, and the cocktails! Just to die for and so well presented like everything else we had. I had the Tokyo silk and the Uni salty dog and both were delicious. You can tell that a lot went into making the food and drink menu and everyone involved should be proud. We had the pleasure of dealing with Johann who worked on starting up Bar Asra. He was a pleasure to deal with and you can see his passion for the food and the cocktails. Not only was he dressed to impress but he had the personality to back it all up. Hands down my best food experience I’ve had in this city. This place should be on the top of your list of places to check out! Trust me, it’s worth the hype!

Zoe H.

From the moment we arrived, the warmth of the service and the cozy, buzzing atmosphere set the tone for an exceptional night. The food was absolutely delicious—thoughtfully prepared, beautifully presented, and full of flavour. What truly stood out was the sense of community among the patrons. Guests enthusiastically recommending dishes to others, and then watching those recommendations ripple across tables, added such a lovely, organic charm to the evening. It’s rare to see that kind of shared joy in dining these days. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a welcoming spot with outstanding food and genuinely friendly vibes!

Stephanie

We tried majority of the items off their menu. When we came there were not many guests but then again it was a Tuesday night so it was understandable

Ahi tuna crudo ($19) - the tuna was too fishy. Didn't taste very fresh and the orange vinaigrette sauce didn't do anything to help it. The jasmine rice balls were an interesting touch. Wouldn't recommend

Shishitos and cauliflower ($14) - the cauliflower florets were nice but the shishitos were lacking that snap you get (it was a bit soggy). Wouldn't recommend

Steamed Bao bun with butter prawn masala ($21) - this was one of the highlights of the night. The butter masala went so well with the Bao bun and it soaked up that sauce perfectly. Loved the snap from the shrimp but wish there was more of it dispersed throughout the dish. Definitely get this dish

Crab satay ($19) - this dish was weird... The crab was misled by the flavour of the peanut sauce and it just didn't work well together as a dish. Each component was fine on its own but nothing worked together. The cabbage salad felt like just an afterthough. Would not recommend.

Sweet and sour pork belly ($16) - this dish was also interesting - it felt more like just a crispy pork belly. That's it. The sweet and sour sauce felt non- existent. There needed to be another punch in this dish to make it more complete. Wouldn't recommend

Sea bass ($37) - this dish was great. Loved the texture of the sea bass. The potato gnocchi was a nice touch and that Goan curry sauce went really well with everything. Wouldn't order again

Beef Kad Pra kao ($29) - this was another miss. The beef wasnt chewy but it lacked flavour. It needed more basil in it to bring out the flavour. Nothing about this dish impressed. Wouldn't order again

Dubai chocolate bar ($17) - absolutely delicious. Loved the crispness of the chocolate crumb offset by the softness of the dense pistachio creme and the chocolate ganache. The little bits of the rose petals gave it that essence that it needed. It wasn't overly sweet. Would get this again

Overall quite a few missed and some great dishes. The serving sizes are appropriate for the price. The service was great and not overbearing. Definitely try the steamed bun, the sea bass and the Dubai chocolate bar. My biggest issue with the dishes were that the garnished were almost the same for every dish. I understand it's for the pop of colour but it was so repetitive and didn't add any value to the fish other than the pop of colour (the green shoots and the red radish). I had the spiced Guatemalan carajillo it was pretty smooth and not too sweet. I would want to try their other drinks as they have quite an extensive menu.

Kaylin H.

The restaurant is beautiful and the waitress was really nice, but the food took so long to come out. Our meal took 3 hours because each dish came out so slowly, and they actually forgot to give us one of the dishes but it still showed up on the bill and we were charged for it. The shishito peppers were our favourite dish. However, the chicken was unfortunately dry and the ravioli was undercooked and a little too thick. Even the bill took 30 min to come and then they left us again for another 15 min before coming back with the machine.

Bruce W.

Great service and great food. Staff super friendly and knowledgeable on the dishes. Drinks were also a hit. Menu has lots of flavours from many parts of the world. Would definitely recommend the patatas brava, mussels, and sea bass. The bread that came with the mussels was sooo good.

Hank L.

We had amazing service at this new restaurant as the staff were very attentive. The food had nice complex flavors but I found that it was too salty and some dishes felt imbalanced. It definitely felt too dim in the restaurant to the point I felt like sleeping. Would appreciate warmer brighter lights to enjoy the atmosphere more.

TheFoodie C.

Dinner at the newly opened Bar Asra in South Granville in Vancouver. They are known as an International Fusion Restaurant. The Ahi Tuna Crudo, Charred Paneer Tart, Grilled Chicken Skewers, Sea Bass & Dubai Chocolate Bar were our favourites. The Kuala Lumpur Jungle Bird Cocktail was excellent. Service was friendly and attentive. Loved the Natural Decor of this place. Prices were very reasonable for the quality.

From their website:

“At Bar Asra, our menu is a celebration of bold flavors, fresh ingredients, and the vibrant energy of the night. Designed for sharing, our dishes bring together unexpected combinations, playful textures, and deep, evocative flavors.
From small plates bursting with spice and brightness to cocktails crafted with curiosity, every bite and sip tells a story.”

Check them out.

@barasrayvr @thefoodiecarguy

AJ

The drinks are so fun, and the tapas were all excellent. 10/10 would come again. Had the ahi tuna (🔥🔥) the murtabak (🔥) and the chicken skewers (🔥). The service was so wonderful too. This is a fantastic new spot.