Sakaba Malabar: A Spanish Restaurant with a Japanese Twist
Sakaba Malabar is a sleek and stylish restaurant and bar on Wuding Lu serving up Spanish food with a Japanese twist in a fun, convivial space.
About Sakaba Malabar
Stepping into Sakaba Malabar, you're greeted by a stunning horseshoe bar, adorned with leather-clad bar chairs. With just over 40 seats, including 20 at the bar, Sakaba is cozy, casual yet polished.
Dinner is casual yet vibrant with lively tables chatting away. Bar seats tend to snap up quickly, a preferred perch for those wanting to have an easy-going tapas-style meal. Groups gravitate towards the banquettes, sharing heftier main dishes paired with a slew of cocktails.
From 10:30pm onwards, the lights dim and music is upbeat and energetic, transforming the dining room into a fluid social space—patrons mingle with drinks in hand—filled with fast-paced conversation. And if you live in the neighborhood, chances are you’ll run into some familiar faces.
The Food
Let's talk about the star of the show—the menu.
The talented chef patron Juan Campos, also known for his work at RAW Eatery, and chef Ana Campos, have created an imaginative fusion of Spanish tapas with Japanese influences. It’s subtle in some places (the use of miso and koji in seasoning), and more obvious in others (yakitori).
As for new dishes, the highlights are undeniable, a massive scallop bite that’s just to die for, a comforting potato salad with crab, the staple of broken eggs, and Argentinian prawns paired with an umami-bomb of a sauce, and a Milanesa made with Cinco Jotas pork.
Spinach Salad (¥88) – A whopping plate of spinach served with Stracciatella cheese, salted anchovies, and crumbly bacon bits. Comes with honey and piquillo pepper vinaigrette. A substantial portion and a sauce that’s naturally sweet and mildly spicy.
Chef’s Potato Ensaladilla Rusa (¥88) – A chunky potato salad whipped with hand-picked crabmeat topped with poached red prawns, dollops of pea purée.
Scallops (¥98/two) – Gigantic pieces of high-quality scallop on crispy nori topped with salmon roe, fresh wasabi on the side. This is fantastic, just for the quality of the sushi-grade scallop. Ocean spray, delicate, and buttery with a crunch.
Sous Vide Foie Gras (¥138) with a mild sake-cava gelatine and baby figs.
Sautéed Clams (¥98) – Clams sautéed with chives, garlic, and ginger, finish with a splash of cava and diced piparra peppers. A tasty and elevated bar food.
Umami Garlic Sake Prawns (¥98) – A must-order! High-quality Argentinian red prawns flambéed with sake, served with a delicious sauce made with koji salt (shio koji, a creamy paste made by fermented rice koji, salt, and water). Served with mildly sweet chili and mushrooms that soak up all the sauce. It’s super umami!
Leek Croquettes (¥78/three) – One of the sacred Spanish foods. Puffy clouds of fat croquettes topped with cold crab salad and Iberico Bellota ham. One of the signatures that you should not miss.
Huevos Rotos, or broken eggs, is a traditional Spanish dish that can be found in any tapas house in Spain. Its origins are unknown, however, it’s been known to be a dish “for the people,” dishing up simple base ingredients of eggs, potatoes, and ham or chorizo for a hearty snack. Sakaba serves up diced fries, cubed and crispy, as the base. One of those elevated comfort foods.
Broken Eggs with Teriyaki Eel (¥148) topped with iberico ham over diced fries. A lot of things going on here. But it works — whether you’re eating it eel or iberico on its own or mixed together.
Cuttlefish (¥78) - A variation of broken eggs with ribbons of cuttle fish, bonito flakes, eggs, mint-watercress sauce, confit garlic, and diced fries.
Jospered Halibut (¥148) with spinach sauce, pumpkin and sweet potato purée. Not a looker, but tastes great. It’s a cleaner, lighter entrée option.
5J Milanese (¥153) with truffle cream and 63-degree egg. Takes the Milanese to the next level by using Cinco Jotas pork.
Sakaba Malabar also has yakitori (¥46/two, ¥80/four), four options seasoned with sweet-savory teriyaki sauce. Suitable for a snack with drinks or as appetizers.
Left to right: King Mushroom with crispy bacon, UYYU Wagyu Beef, Tsukune Japanese Meatball, made with chicken and topped with bacon and iberico ham, chicken thigh topped with iberico ham and piparra peppers.
The UYYU Wagyu Beef is the one to get — undeniable winner against the rest. It’s topped with diced Spanish piquillo peppers.
There’s also meats and seafood cooked over the charcoal and wood grill, ranging from skirt steak to octopus.
The Drinks
Sakaba also boasts an exceptional drinks program. Whether you're a sake enthusiast, a cocktail connoisseur, or a lover of fine wines, Sakaba stocks a little bit of everything. The G&Ts and negronis are also a popular order.
Horchata Milk Punch (¥68) – Golden Rice, almonds, cinnamon, clarified milk, sherry brandy. Silky smooth, punchy, and milky.
Takeda Isabella (¥68) – Sake, rose petal jam, aquafaba, fresh lemon. Not very sweet, floral-citrusy, and mildly herbaceous.
It's dinner with a little adventurous twist, good for a full on spread for groups to share or for tapas and drinks at the bar.
Sakaba Malabar
View the listing here.
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About Rachel Gouk
Founder & Editor, Nomfluence
Rachel Gouk is a seasoned dining journalist based in Shanghai with over a decade of experience covering food culture, restaurant developments, and the Asian culinary landscape.
