The wait is over; the new Prague bar, Forbina, is officially opening today. It boasts one of the best bartending teams in the country and a menu that rivals the National Theatre.
In the newly renovated space accessible from the foyer of Kavárna Slavia on Národní Street, the new Forbina bar has drawn inspiration not only from the theatre theme. The cocktail menu itself is based on storytelling from the theatre boards, so every drink contributes to a unique experience with the help of modern bar technology.
Magical Themes
"The Forbina Bar is located in a space that was a billiards hall until the 1930s and a restaurant after the war. After renovation in the late 1990s, the interior was completed with a large bar counter. Now, the decision has been made to restore the space and reopen it to the public. For this purpose, we approached the architectural studio Olgoj Chorchoj, which designed the interior of the bar," explains Jozef Onderka on behalf of the family of operators. It should be noted that thanks to the cooperation of several top experts, one of the most beautiful bars on the Czech bar scene today has been created.
"The Lažanský Palace deserves the highest quality materials, which can be found in both Slavia and Parnas, which we have tried to build on. These are mainly natural materials such as stone, for example, Taj Mahal with a leather finish, or wood cladding such as rosewood santos," says Martin Klanica of Olgoj Chorchoj Studio.
The bar also features original marquetry, loosely based on the historic marquetry used in the Parnas restaurant. "The motifs that appear in the Forbina bar are meant to create the poetry of a magical garden hiding stories," says their author Michal Bačák.
In the theatre dictionary, the very name 'forbina' means the front stage or the space in front of the stage. The forbina was made famous in its time by Jan Werich and Jiří Voskovec, who used it for short performances responding to current events in society when it was necessary to change the scenery on the main stage. They stepped out of their acting roles on the forbina and thus created a creative space where status and age did not play a role.
And that is exactly the aim of the Forbina Bar. "We would like to make an evening at Bar Forbina an experience for guests, just like going to the theatre. From the very entrance, guests will feel a theatrical atmosphere from the velvet curtain that will be used to enter the bar area from the marble fountain." Frederik Španer, general manager of the company and co-author of the concept, describes.
And a quality experience of the ambience, service, and the cocktails themselves can certainly be expected. Bar Forbina boasts one of the strongest bar teams in the country right from the starting line. Behind the bar and on the set will be several experienced bartenders who have been behind some of the Czech Republic's top bars. Thanks to this constellation, the team includes Jan Vlasák, Peter Plieštik, Lucie Bieglová, and Matej Brunovský. Together with other colleagues, they mark a very promising beginning of a new element of the Czech bar scene.
Theatre in the Cocktail Menu
The theatre theme is most reflected in the first signature cocktail menu of Forbina bar. The menu is used for theatrical storytelling and is divided into four parts, just like the four troupes of the National Theatre. You can look forward to a menu based on performances of drama, ballet, opera, and magic lantern. Forbina's bartenders reveal that it will be possible to sample cocktails such as Swan Lake, The Magic Circus, Don Giovanni, and The Servant of Two Masters.
The bartenders had a few different requests for their menu. At first glance, it's obvious that they reflect global trends, and in most cases, their drinks are all about clean service and well-polished flavours. Of course, there are exceptions, especially in the section called Laterna magika, where, for example, the bittersweet drink The Magic Circus is actually served by Forbina with a miniature chapito that overlays the cocktail and is revealed right in front of the guest's eyes. Drink Faust (Drama section), sweet and fruity, again holds a pedestal in the shape of a black hand. We also recommend you definitely try La Sylphide, its light and herbal flavour serves very well, for example, right at the beginning of your bar session. Of course, you have to try everything here, including the small bar food menu, where you'll find watermelon salad or chicken croquettes, umami sandwiches, but also crispy black dough pillows, smoked foam, and fried capers.
Bar Forbina is undoubtedly a distinctive new phenomenon on the Czech bar scene. It complements the bar map between Alma and Hemingway Bar very well, and not only for that reason, it is a must to go to Forbina and taste more rather than less of the offer from great bartenders who will try to conquer the cocktail hearts of not only gourmets and bar connoisseurs but also guests of the National Theatre with their drinks. They can pop in for a glass of bubbly before the show.
