In a corner of Kuala Lumpur’s increasingly gentrified Petaling Street is the brand new Barra Restaurant. The eatery has a warm, sunny charm, buoyed by a long, snaking counter facing the open kitchen where diners get to watch as all the magic happens. The eatery is owned and operated by Samadhi Retreats, which runs famed restaurants like Tamarind Springs.

Although Barra is a departure from the group’s typical restaurant line-up, it was wholly inspired by the talents of Spanish chef Ignasi Prats. “It’s really because of chef Ignasi, he is such an excellent chef and Mediterranean cuisine has always been one of our favourites so hence the idea of doing a Spanish restaurant. “And we have always loved Chinatown and this area of KL, so it was an opportunity to reach out to different diners.

And I think we have hit the right nerve with diners, because we have been overwhelmed with the amazing response to the restaurant,” says Maple Loo, the director of marketing communications for Samadhi Retreats. Prats hails from Barcelona and is the creative force behind the authentic Spanish tapas at Barra. — Barra At Barra, Prats is the creative force behind the range of authentic Spanish tapas that pay homage to his motherland.

As he spent his formative years in Barcelona, the menu alludes to his origins but also pays attention to the other culinary regions that form Spain’s vast gastronomic tapestry. “The concept of Barra is to have a more authentic version of Spanish cuisine.