Happiness Forgets öppnade 2011 i en skum källarlägenhet under en Thairestaurang på Hoxton Square i East London. De har snabbt efter öppnandet uppnått internationell succé och i juni 2013 blev de utsedda till Europas bästa bar på Paris Cocktail Spirits. I höstas fick de också en ärofylld 6:e plats på listan över World´s 50 Best Bars. Alistair Burgess och Daniel Garnell besöker Stockholm och Little Quarter de 30-31/1 med en specialmeny från Happiness Forgets. Ta chansen att se vad som är ”the talk of the town” i Hoxton och London just nu.

Gästspel på Little Quarter

Torsdag 17-01

Fredag 17-03

INTERVIEW WITH ALASTAIR BURGESS FROM HAPPINESS FORGETS LONDON

– You had a really successful year 2013. How does Happiness Forgets differentiate itself from the crowd considering the tough competition in London?

London is in a huge boom right now, in regards to bars and products available, everyone seems to want to be here. Yes competition is tough in London with every one trying hard to stand out from the crowd, especially here in east London with 6 or 7 bars all with in a mile of each other. But competition is a good, it keeps you on your toes, and makes you strive to be better.

We have 69 colebrook row form world famous Tony C, NightJar famous for super creative drinks and wow factor garnishes and the new kid on the block, White Lyan, with its no ice and no citrus.

All these bars have the unique selling points that attract the customer, we keep things much more traditional and simple. We are a small cosy intimate bar that focus on just being a bar, wether its just popping round the corner for a drink or it’s an occasion. No big garnishes, no molecular, we just make drinks and were nice to people. We really do look at our selves just as a bar that makes drinks and is nice to people.

The great thing is, as much as there are a lot of bars we all offer the customer something different so they have lots of choice. As long as you keep up your standards your customers will always come back and recommend you bar to others, as well as visit the other bars and their different offers.

We don’t all like to go to the same place all the time, if you did, you would get bored and after a while not go any more. Embrace your neighbours, were all in this together, and the global Bar Family is getting bigger and closer all the time.

– Where do you find your inspiration and what do you think is the next big trend within the bar industry?

I spent nearly 2 years in New York and drew a lot inspiration from there. Audrey Saunders from the Pegu Club was a huge help. But honestly, I am growing up and getting older, with Happiness Forgets all I wanted to do was make a bar that I wanted to drink in. Not too crowded, quick and simple efficient service.

The next big trend, who knows, no one saw the concept coming from Ryan Chetiwardana with White Lyan, no ice and no citrus, extremely revolutionary.

I think that batching drinks is really catching on. At Happiness Forgets we have been batching the alcohol ingredient of our drinks for 2 years which increases speed of service and consistency. Polite provisions form Eric Castro in San Diego do cocktails on draft.

– Could you describe Hapiness Forgets with three words?

Cosy, intimate and personal.

– You are visting Sweden and Little Quarter on Thursday and Friday. What are your favorite bars around the world?

My favourite bars in the world would have to be Little Branch in New York, Sager + Wilde in London (wine bar) and Candelaria in Paris.

All have great offers, fantastic staff and really interesting spaces.