We’ve all been there with even our most treasured dining partners. You’re in the mood for Pan Asian, but someone wants Japanese, someone else wants Chinese, and another has a hankering for Thai. It’s like the Riddle of the Sphinx – what’s the solution? How can we possibly satisfy everybody’s cravings?
If you can relate to this, OVO Bar was created specifically to cater to the needs of people like you in mind! From the menu, to the ambiance and even the location of the place, this restaurant is not only considerate, but gives you many reasons to keep going back.
Upon entering OVO Bar, you’re intrigued. It’s a crisp and clean yet welcoming atmosphere adorned with couches to accommodate the comfort you require after indulging. The motif, being black and red boasts a modernity that predicts the trendiness and fusion of the menu. Gone are the dark ages of dining, new concepts are welcomed, nay, encouraged here.
We also discovered in the menu that OVO Bar is an acronym for “Our Very Own Bar”. What type of bar? When an impressive electric blue concoction makes its way to our table, we see that OVO Bar could be a bit of a drinks bar. Dubbed “Blue Fusion”, this welcoming thirst quencher was served in a cocktail shaker alongside an icy glass seasoned with lemon. Presentation is clearly one of the restaurant’s top priorities!
In the mood for something steamy, we chose to sample one of the many soups the restaurant has on offer. You don’t usually see so many soup items on a menu, but OVO Bar’s soup selection covers at least three different countries. From Chinese classics like Chicken Corn Soup and Hot and Sour Soup to Japan’s Miso and Thailand’s Tom Yum, you’re spoilt for choice here. The Tom Yum Soup was a winner at our table, with whole shrimp, mussels, lemon grass, mushroom and a greatly spicy addition of chili, just as the menu had warned. It was definitely worth it.
Because appetizers are always fun, we moved onto the Bites section of the menu, which is nothing short of vast and exudes modern fusion. Wagyu Bites were selected, then promptly devoured. These bites were way lighter than anticipated, and accompanied with the loved Japanese mayo to give them that Asian kick.
Spicy Tuna Tacos came next, promoting a classic combination of tuna, crabsticks, avocado and spicy mayo sandwiched between a fried mini shell. Eating sushi in the form of a taco is always a great idea, because why not allow two of the world’s favorite dishes to collaborate?
We then visited Maki rolls, being conservative in our choices by ordering the Crispy Crab Maki – indulgent, adventurous, and yet comforting at the same time. However, you might want to opt for the wooden chopsticks to get a better grip – these delicate rolls are so good and loaded, but one wrong maneuver can send you spilling!
The Monskie Maki was a little more traditional, with avocado, shrimp, crabsticks and ginger. Its beautiful presentation made us feel almost guilty for eating it – but once sampled, it was indeed attacked and cleared.
Though we were full, we couldn’t resist the urge to travel to China. We didn’t have much room left, so after much arguing, we decided to try the Black Pepper Beef to get a taste of that certified Angus Beef. Its tenderness was indeed satisfying, and just the right amount of spice sent taste buds roaring with happiness.
Fine, we had dessert – why not? After all, meals this good should be celebrated! What’s also nice about OVO Bar is that their dessert selection is curated to suit the cravings of the locals – which is chocolate, essentially. Speaking of which – their chocolate pudding is to die for. Warm, gooey, served with vanilla, and meant for two.
And thus, with satisfaction, a lot of leafing through pages and mental notes to try different dishes on the next visit, we’d discovered the mystery behind OVO Bar. A bar is generally defined as a place where you have a vast selection of things – whether it be food, drink or otherwise – and OVO Bar does just that to live up to its name: it offers a vast collection, so that literally anything you crave, you know will make its way to your table. And we guarantee you’ll love it.
OVO Bar is located in Byblos Complex, off of Baghdad Street in Salmiya. For more information call 2227 2171/2 and follow them on Instagram and Facebook @ovobar.
