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Behind the bar: Sven Selbak of Okra

20 July 2017 By Natalie Wang

Estonian-born Sven Selbak has travelled far from his homeland to helm the drinks programme at Hong Kong’s trendy Japanese restaurant Okra, nestled in Sheung Wan. The modern izakaya, opened last year by restaurant veteran Max Levy, has become a popular hangout place for diners who are yearning for casual small plates and artisan Japanese sakés. An avid saké enthusiast, Selbak has traveled to Japan on pilgrimage-like trips to study saké production, and to source new products. In an interview with dbHK, the bartender talks about Estonia’s quirky rhubarb juice-infused gin sour, and his favourite Martinez cocktail.

Sven Selbak and Max Levy, owner of Okra

What led you to be behind the bar?
I have always had a passion for food and different flavours in general, experimenting what you can do with ingredients. For a while I thought of becoming a chef, but I have always thought of myself as a sociable person, and bartending came naturally, as a great way to play with product as well as being in the front line to meet people and interact with them.

Which spirit ignited your passion?

When I was a young bartender, I used to work in a shot bar where I didn’t have my hands on really good spirits. It was a lot about people having fun, drinking for fun. But at one point I got to attend a rum masterclass which allowed me to try very good products. It made me want to go for more quality bars, where people drink while having fun. And I went for places that allowed me to express my creativity.

What are the best and worst things about the industry?
I think one of the worst things about bartending today is that [some] bartenders don’t care about people anymore. Bartenders are thinking too much about themselves and forgetting about customers. Of course the way we look, we act and our signatures are important. But if I go to a bar and someone give me a bad look because I order a Long Island iced tea, no matter how good your signatures are, this is not what I call hospitality.

One of the good things about the industry is that bartender and chef are starting to work together more closely. Not only with pairing food, but also working in ingredients that we can both use.

If you had to be a particular cocktail or spirit, which one would you be?
I like straightforward drinks, where you can feel the technique and the quality of the product. Let’s say Margarita!

Lime or lemon?
I feel like I should say Yuzu, but I am gonna go with lime.

Complete this sentence: the last time I drank, I…
Got a tattoo in Bangkok.

What are your favourite seasonal cocktails?
In Estonia, every spring we have this massive amount of rhubarb flooding the market. Rhubarb is really good to add some acidity to drinks. We don’t have any lemon or lime growing in Estonia. Spring is the perfect season to make classical cocktails with this Estonian touch, like a gin sour with rhubarb juice.

Where is your favourite place in Asia for cocktails?
I haven’t been in Asia for too long, and I am guessing I am still looking for my favourite place. All the places I went so far, I found something interesting and new.

Name one cocktail trend which is hot in Asia right now?
Barrel age everything!!! And fermented or pickled, or preserved stuff. Everything basically that chefs were doing for a while.

Please share one of your favourite recipes?
One of my favourites is a Martinez, made with good quality rum, like Zaccapa 23.