New Hobart eatery has all the ingredients for success
With some terrific share-plate options featuring delicious SE Asian cuisine – this new offering from the Bar Wa Izakaya crew – is perfect for lunch, dinner or late-night snack, writes Alix Davis
Food and Wine
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Despite the chilly temperature outdoors, there’s a distinctly tropical vibe from the moment you walk into Lost in Asia. A plethora of plants snake their way across the ceiling and up the jungle green walls while the air is redolent with fragrant spices of South East Asia. And, while it’s not Bangkok-humid, it’s certainly warm enough that you can shed your Tassie tuxedo and get comfortable.
Everything on the menu is designed to share – which is fine by me as it means I get to try more things – and there’s certainly plenty I want to have a bite or two of.
Lost in Asia is the new offering from the Bar Wa Izakaya crew and here, they’ve turned their focus from Japan to the cuisines of Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and more.
We dive in with a small starter and are rewarded with a wonderfully fresh betel leaf topped with smoked fish ($10 per piece) crushed peanuts and delicate finger lime. These are designed to be eaten with your hands in one mouthful, so don’t hold back.
My husband’s never met a spring roll he didn’t like and these Vietnamese-style ones ($15 for 3) have shot to the top of the leaderboard. Unlike other spring rolls, Vietnamese rolls are wrapped in rice paper or even better, netted rice paper, which gives an extra light and crispy exterior. Inside, there’s pork and chicken and alongside, are some butter lettuce leaves, pickled carrot and fresh herbs to wrap them in. Start wrapping, then dip them in the nuoc cham sauce before devouring with gusto. I could easily have eaten a couple of servings of these and called it done.
A plate of tempura cauliflower ($16) is also delicious and comes with a lemon mayo for dipping as well as a tangy tamarind dressing with just a hint of green chilli. It’s a satisfying dish that would go down well with drinks and a group of friends.
While Lost in Asia is very happy serving up plates for dinner, their menu is also designed to pair with a beer or two and plans for the future include turning the outdoor area into a beer garden with an Asian-style barbecue grilling in the background. Where do I sign up?
From the “charcoal and smoke” section of the menu we opt for a Wagyu beef skewer ($12 per piece) that’s charred, smoky and topped with a peanutty satay sauce. At $12 per piece, it’s a little pricey, but the beef is wonderfully tender and flavourful and I have no regrets.
A serving of smoked beef dumplings ($21 for 5) is beautifully presented in a rendang-style sauce with delicate cubes of pickled daikon. The dumplings themselves are absolutely stuffed with tender shredded beef and the sauce is one to go back for with a spoon.
Chef Jacob McKenzie has relocated from the Gold Coast to join the team and is putting his own twist on SE Asian favourites that will change seasonally. Co-owner Travis Oddie is excited to be presenting locals with cocktails and beers that focus on Asian flavours and is enthusiastic about the outdoor plans for later in the year.
My husband is worried that I haven’t ordered enough food, but that’s never happened before and his fears are assuaged when a steaming bowl of char kway teow ($26) arrives. These charred rice noodles that are a mainstay of Malaysian street food are a favourite of mine and McKenzie’s version does a great job of pulling all the essential elements together.
Our final dish is a classic Thai green papaya salad ($10). I’ve had versions of this that have literally burnt my lips, but this iteration has all the hot-sour flavour and plenty of crunch, without setting my mouth on fire.
Grab a date or grab a group of friends, come for lunch or a late-night snack – Lost in Asia has the drinks and the food to make any evening a delicious success.
LOST IN ASIA
131-133 Murray St, Hobart
Opening hours: Thurs-Mon, 12pm - 10pm
On the menu
Betel leaf with smoked fish, $10; crispy pork and chicken spring rolls, $15; smoked beef cheek dumplings, $21; tempura cauliflower, $16; Wagyu beef skewer, $12; Char Kway Teow noodles, $26.
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