The Story Behind the First Cocktail Menu of Sakaba

“Originally, the cocktail menu for Sakaba was to be designed by Christophe Davoine (MOF bar category and brand ambassador for Suntory), but I arrived at my position earlier than expected. So, it’s my cocktails that we offer. Nevertheless, Christophe Davoine was able to taste all of my creations, and they were approved. He also integrated us into a Suntory training and worked with us on the proper way to cut clear ice (we source from The Nice Company); an exercise we perform in front of customers daily. The menu is not intended to change entirely every quarter, but it evolves regularly based on the seasonality of the ingredients and the products sold in the grocery store. For example, our Matcha Daiquiri will soon be replaced by a curry Daiquiri. This also allows bartenders to practice, find ideas, and better understand Japanese flavors. It’s also an opportunity for them to test things out.”

From Video Games to Mixology

“Before my various bar experiences - including the opening of Lavomatic - I worked for eight years in the video game industry. I was already interested in Japanese culture and spent two years at a Japanese institute in Paris before traveling there. As a result, I have always consumed sake, which is why, out of passion, I completed my WSET on this beverage. However, it’s not necessarily the easiest ingredient to work with in cocktails, as it is lower in alcohol, and thus, the product is not always highlighted. For mixology, I prefer whisky, although, due to my Mauritian roots, I also love rum. Currently, we are using Japanese brands Ogasawara, Kiyomi, and Santa Maria, which is pure cane juice from Okinawa. As for gin, we incorporate Kino Bi or Roku in our recipes. Additionally, we also use French products, with the distillery Baccae, Maison Ferrand, and the gin Escale à Tokyo from La Compagnie du Mieux Boire.

Beyond Cocktails

“In addition to cocktails, our menu features many Japanese spirits for tasting, such as shochu, yuzushu, or umeshu, for example. The bar area also includes a wine cellar section with a selection of spirits. Finally, in the near future, we will begin organizing discovery masterclasses, and logically, the first one should focus on sake!”

Sakaba, 40 rue du Louvre; 75001 Paris

Open daily from 6 PM to midnight