Sabayon x Oria

Martín Berasategui is Spain’s most celebrated chef with 12 Michelin stars across 7 restaurants, helmed by chefs who have worked extensively with Berasategui and achieved fame through their own body of work.

Chef Xabier Goikoetxea from famed Oria Restaurant (one Michelin-starred) at the prestigious Monument Hotel in Barcelona, presents a gastronomic showcase of Martín’s exquisite signature cuisine at Sabayon, EQ KL.

Having spent 15 years with Berasategui, Chef Xabi won Oria its first Michelin star. Here, he pays homage to the rich heritage of Basque cooking while embracing influences from Catalonia and the Mediterranean Sea, chef Xabi seamlessly marries tradition with innovative flair, crafting a menu that has deep respect for Martin’s legacy and the region.

Starting with a quartet of delights – Comté crisps topped with smoked eel and Cantabrian anchovy – so delicate, just a pop of saltiness; tomato macaron with citrus-bright trout tartare – playfully briny and  salty; salt-cured prawn on sea tempura – loved the textures and taste; cured (huge) scallop with lightly smoked hollandaise, orange and chervil – amazing texture play. Appetisers will never be the same again after this superb rendition. 

Then, a rich, robust San Sebastián seafood broth with tiny bits of squid, leaves you longing for more, before wild turbot arrives glazed in its own silky pil-pil crowned with caviar – luscious, decadent, juicy, with fried quinoa crispy bits, tomato tenet and caperzelle for touch of taste. 

The main course offers perfectly roasted sirloin balanced by medjool-date jus, while dessert morphs into basil water, raw-almond cream – green bean for light crunch, basil for a different dimension, so refreshing and light, plus lemon-peel frozen pearls melded into a tapestry of chocolate and tonka-bean textures.

Justin Lee, General Manager of EQ sees Chef Xabi’s guest appearance at Sabayon as the perfect underscoring of the restaurant’s top-tier dining status.

“Sabayon is a jewel in KL’s gastronomic crown, and Michelin-starred guest chefs like Chef Xabi emphasise EQ’s commitment to the best of culinary experiences. Our Michelin-star chef appearances are specially curated to avail Malaysian gastronomes of world-class culinary experiences, with access to cuisine and chefs which define excellence in gastronomy,” said Lee.

Chef Xabi’s guest residency will be from today until Aug 9, for dinner from 6.30pm to 11pm, priced at RM888+ per person. An excellent culinary journey not to be missed. For reservations, email dineateqkl@kul.equatorial.com or call +60 3 2789 7839 or WhatsApp +60 12 583 5319.