A new Asian-inspired bar is aiming to shake up Ottawa's nightlife with the neon-soaked look of Shanghai's club scene.

HuBar opened in September on Clarence Street in the ByWard Market. Owner Nick Mou describes the venue as "East meets West," telling Capital Current he wants to bring the culture and esthetics of the EDM scene in China to the national capital.

The space features life-sized metallic mannequins suspended from the ceiling and neon lighting that gives it a futuristic feel, with Mou citing Shanghai nightclubs and Toronto's ZUI Beer Bar among his inspirations.

Early patrons appear to be responding. "The renovation is done really well, it's futuristic," patron Cassandra Hudson told Capital Current. "They did a really nice job."

"It's got a different vibe," said patron Stephen Lanthier, who says the bar's cyberpunk atmosphere is what keeps him coming back.

Mou says he is deliberately courting a broad audience rather than only Asian customers. That comes with challenges — some guests are unhappy with song choices or the spice level of the food — but he says Ottawa's Asian population is too small on its own to sustain the venue, unlike in Toronto.

A growing community, a 'second stop' city

Roughly 13 per cent of Ottawa residents identify as Asian, according to the 2021 Census, compared with about 35 per cent in Toronto.

Wanling Ma, community development project manager at the Ottawa Chinese Community Service Centre, has worked with the city's newcomer and Chinese communities for decades. She says Asian families often travel to Toronto for cuisine and other experiences because the scene is less established here.

"Even a rice cooker, I'll order from Toronto," she told Capital Current.

Ottawa's Asian population has grown dramatically over the past decade, Ma says, but the city is often a "second stop" for newcomers without relatives already here. Those facing language and culture barriers tend to settle first in Toronto or Vancouver.

Mou says he hopes HuBar will encourage more Asian community spaces in the capital.

"I feel like a lot of people don't get into Asian food or nightlife here compared to Toronto. So, I have to be the first one to bite the apple," he told Capital Current.

Ma says a bar can foster a sense of belonging, particularly for international students and others from abroad.

"If [HuBar] creates a feeling of community," she said, "it will have a positive impact."

She adds that many Asian residents find belonging through school, sports and extracurriculars, and that expanding into other corners of Asian culture — such as clothing stores or a food court with dishes from different regions — could make Ottawa more welcoming.

'A feeling of home'

For his part, Mou says he wants the bar to be a comfortable place to enjoy Asian food and Asian-inspired décor — and something more.

"But someone saying, 'There is somewhere where I can go that's like a home… somewhere, that'll give a feeling of home,' that's also important," he told Capital Current.