This fun izakaya-style bar brings a slice of Japan to Hobart, serving up flavour-packed ramen for lunch and punchy snacks into the wee hours alongside top-notch cocktails, sake and local wines.
When Bar Wa Izakaya was conceived some six years ago, the idea was to create a space where the best of Hobart and Japan meet. A bold aim, for sure, but to their credit the team has nailed it. A bar with snacks in the Japanese izakaya tradition, it more than fulfils the brief in both food and drink. Tasmanian produce is celebrated on the menu in a way that does justice to both the island state and Japanese eats, while the hefty drinks list explores everything from local wines and gins to sake and inventive cocktails.
Bar Wa’s simple street frontage, meanwhile, with a smattering of outdoor tables, gives way to an eclectic, colourful interior fit-out that subscribes to a more-is-more aesthetic, bringing a good-time vibe that’s boosted by the attentive, knowledgeable staff.
When you’re faced with decision overload from Bar Wa’s 22-page drinks list, there are two good places to start. The “what we’re drinking” section features an ever-changing recommendation – perhaps a Hughes & Hughes Dunkel Spritz, a rosy-hued natural sparkling made with dornfelder, tempranillo and riesling grapes grown in Tasmania’s North West region and Coal River Valley. The other is a tasting flight, a good way to get an appreciation of sake, Japan’s umeshu plum wine, whisky or gin (including one Bar Wa has made in collaboration with local label Knocklofty).
To delve deeper into the world of sake, flip to the back of the menu. A full page is dedicated to Japan's rice wine, outlining what it is, how it's made and, importantly, how it should be enjoyed. This complements a wide-ranging two pages of sake, each with helpful tasting notes.
The wine list sticks closer to home and reads like a must-visit roll call of Tasmania’s wineries. Among the whites you’ll find the likes of Eddystone Point Sauvignon Blanc from Bay of Fires and Tolpuddle Chardonnay from Coal River Valley. The “fun stuff” list focuses on natural wines from around Australia, such as the Tom Shobbrook Poolside Syrah, a delicious sulphur-free drop. Tap beers, meanwhile, include Sapporo and Asahi, with Hobart Brewing Co Blackberry Sour the local recommendation, while Tasmanian whisky is well represented. Mocktails such as the Yakuza Juice, made with pandan syrup, citrus and soda, show care has been put into the non-alcoholic offerings.
In the fine tradition of Japanese izakayas, Bar Wa serves snacks and small dishes to accompany drinks. And just like the drinks list, the food menu is creative and diverse. Yakitori chicken skewers and charred corn with nori-seaweed butter are both beautifully seasoned, while other things on sticks might include fish cakes or smoked pork belly wrapped in enoki mushrooms. Make a meal to share out of small dishes such as agedashi tofu – crisp-fried cubes of tofu in a mushroom broth – pork belly okonomiyaki omelette and sashimi of local bluefin tuna. Tasmania meets Japan in the Bruny Island wallaby “wings”, fried until crisp and finished with a pickled-plum dressing – a spot-on balance of sweet and savoury. The miso ice-cream with salted-caramel sauce and citrusy biscuit crumbs rounds off a meal nicely.
The best course of action is to come to Bar Wa with a crowd to pack in more of the menu. And come hungry.
Come for lunch to experience Bar Wa’s daytime-only ramen, considered to be among the country’s best. The classic pork-bone tonkotsu broth is always on, as is the spicy tan tan ramen, along with vegan, vegetarian and chicken options. Regular specials might see duck or braised beef cheek on the menu. A cute Japanese-style comic strip details how best to tackle your ramen, with suggestions including “slurp loud, slurp quick” to maximise the enjoyment of this hearty dish. And Bar Wa Izakaya’s happy hour is Sunday from 3:00pm to 5:00pm.
