Shakewell, a Mediterranean inspired restaurant in Oakland, has been a popular place since their opening last year. I usually go to San Francisco when I want to dine out but decided to finally give this restaurant a try.

Shakewell’s menu is heavily Spanish influenced and is divided into small bites (tapas), bombas (rice paella), main courses, and side dishes. Since I wanted to try multiple items off the menu, we decided to order mostly small dishes.

Duck Confit Lettuce Cups, Mango, and Puffed Amaranth (6/10).

Toby’s Figs with Goat Cheese, Serrano Ham, and Sea Salt (8/10).

Bacalao Croquetas with Squid Ink Aioli (6.5/10).

Octopus with Potatoes, Celery Hearts, Salsa Verde, Arbequina Olives, and Chorizo (7.5-8/10).

Sweet White Corn and Lentil Salad with Padrone Peppers, Arugula, and Toasted Quinoa (7.5/10).

Summer Peach Puff Pastry with Dulce de Leche, Yogurt, and Almonds (5/10).

Churros with Spiced Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce (5/10).

I’m slightly torn about Shakewell because half the dishes I enjoyed while others fell flat. Highlights of the meal were the figs, octopus, and corn salad. While the figs were a simple dish, it was completely satisfying. Juicy sweet summer figs with creamy tangy goat cheese topped with salty Serrano ham. Delicious. The main course of octopus was perfectly cooked, tender with a nice char on the outside served with spicy chorizo, olives, and aromatic salsa verde. Lastly, the side dish of white corn salad was fresh and healthy with arugula, lentils, and spicy padron peppers.

While I did like some dishes, the others I ordered needed more flavor and were missing something. Therefore, my overall rating for Shakewell is a 7/10.