Food Explorer & Home Chef
Had intended to go somewhere else but since SS2 was jammed packed that day, no thanks to the durian season, we ended up at Oh Yeah Kopitiam on the perimeter of the SS2 square. Every table had a plate or two, so it made sense …
The much anticipated annual Grand Banquet Series is back at Oriental Group across 12 of its restaurants, and this year’s theme is ‘The tradition of liquor in Chinese cuisine’. Paying homage to the rich culture and culinary legacy of pairing and infusing liquors into gourmet …
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.
Le Cordon Bleu Malaysia presents: A Refined 3-Course Service Dinner by Graduating Superior Cuisine Students. The thoughtfully curated 3-course dinner is their final showcase, celebrating their culinary journey and mastery. As part of the culmination of their training, the aspiring chefs will demonstrate the techniques, …
The new general manager in town at Four Seasons KL knows the hotel industry like the back of his hand. From parking cars to being the bell boy, Simon Barnett has done it all, rising through the ranks to become general manager today. Well, not …
EQ KL is surely one of the earliest to come up with their mooncake offerings as of July 1st! Their Celestial Treasures 2025 features a mooncake collection that reflects the spirit of tradition, the joy of reunion and the refinement of a gift well given.
Timeless yet contemporary, this year’s offering is a celebration of artistry, emotion and cultural memory, encapsulated in a series of beautifully presented gift sets.
There are four signature sets, each suited to different gifting needs and sensibilities:
Autumn Jade Collection – A classic choice reimagined for the modern giver, priced at RM288 for a selection of four traditionally baked mooncakes or RM298 for six snow skin varieties, this collection comes in a warm-toned, structured gift box that balances traditional aesthetics with a sense of contemporary luxury. Options span from lotus and red
bean to bold new flavour pairings.
Premium Collection – his exclusive pairing of mooncakes and fine spirits celebrates connection in style. Choose from four traditional mooncakes with either a bottle of Hennessy VSOP (RM988) or Bottega Gold Prosecco (RM888). Both come presented in a custom leather box in a warm cinnamon hue.
Longevity Collection – Offered exclusively for bulk purchases, this elegant box of four traditionally baked mooncakes celebrates heritage, generosity and festive grace. With a starting price of RM128, the Longevity Collection is well-suited for those seeking tasteful large-quantity gifting options. Custom logo personalisation is available, making it a thoughtful and practical choice for clients, partners or extended networks during the Mid-Autumn festival.
Miniature Collection – Small in size but rich in sentiment, this set of eight delicately baked mini mooncakes is offered in green tea or white lotus flavours. Each petite mooncake bears the EQ marque and is ideal for intimate, informal gifting. At RM68, the Miniature Collection is available exclusively at EQ’s hotel lobby pop-up booth throughout the season.
Regular sized mooncake flavours include Cantonese Mixed Nuts, Red Bean and EQ’s Signature Pearl of Prosperity. For those seeking more adventurous bites, the snow skin varieties offer playful interpretations of the season — from the richness of Golden Charcoal Musang King Durian to the refreshing blend of Emerald Yuzu Pandan, and the layered indulgence of Mint Chocolate with Hawaiian Macadamia.
A visually arresting choice is the Butterfly Pea Flower with Vitagen White Lotus, with its swirled naturally blue and white skin, while the Sun-dried Scallop and Mixed Nuts marries a soft outer skin with a deliciously nutty interior.
Celestial Treasures 2025 will be available for purchase from 1 July to 12 October 2025 at EQ Kuala Lumpur, as well as Kampachi and IPPUDO restaurants. A special Mooncake Pop-Up Booth will also operate in the EQ hotel lobby, offering the full collection in a dedicated festive setting designed to evoke the spirit of the season.
Early bird savings of 20% are available from 1 to 31 July, and 15% from 1 to 31 August. These apply to the Autumn Jade, Premium and Miniature collections only. (The Longevity Collection and bulk orders are not eligible for early bird pricing.) For enquiries or orders, contact dineateqkl@kul.equatorial.com or WhatsApp +6012-583 5319.
I just found out Ayam Brand sardines and mackerel, a staple in Malaysian kitchens, has apparently been around for over 130 years! Surprise, surprise, during a media drop recently, I received some goodies, i.e. Ayam Brand sardines and Ayam Brand’s Spicy Tomato Paste. Beyond the …
Once a while, it’s nice to explore my own city. We discovered Lo and Behold, along Petaling Street, serving crowd pleasers like tacos, pastas, fried chicken and soft serve. The mural on the wall and quirky posters foretell the fun, laid back vibe here. Bright …
It was a late lunch for us at Ren Ren Noodles, which became even later as it was extremely busy that weekend, and service was slow and took a very long time for the food to arrive. On the verge of hangry pangs, redemption came in the form of ramen-style noodles, but make it Chinese. Each strand was coated with gravy and oil, and further heartily heaped with crispy lardy bits. In my books, that’s a plus point already.
The sticky-glazed grilled pork belly was gorgeous, a cross between char siew (bbq pork) and tong poh yoke (braised pork belly), if you will. Sweetish, tender and taste-worthy, it certainly made a good first impression. There is a generous layer of fat though, so if you are adverse to flavourful fat, this is not for you.
The Gula Melaka minced pork was more of the same, but meat in minced form – pretty tasty composition, though on the oily side. It reminded me of Jjajangmyeon, especially since you’re supposed to mix everything together to get the full experience and hearty mouthful.
The combo no one knew could work – mapo tofu with noodles was a delicious mash-up, complete with spicy chilli paste and tofu and minced pork. The star of it all was the handmade pulled noodles, firm, springy, good bite to it, without a hint of sogginess. Similar to wantan mee, but thicker, but not as thick as pan mee noodles.
The nasi lemak with pork curry was not bad, but paled in comparison to the well-executed noodles.
Round 2: Wednesday nights from 6pm to 9pm is 50% off noodles, so it’s super popular and a bit of a wait getting a table. We waited around 25 mins, not too bad considering the growing crowd. Once seated, we took about 5 minutes to order and then, it was another long wait of 30mins. I really hope on week days the service is better.
We had duck meat noodles , as they ran out of duck leg. A bit disappointed that the duck skin was not really crispy, and the meat was just OK, some pieces quite boney, nothing to shout about. The noodles were a bit on the sweetish side, noted my friend, but I thought they still tasted quite good. The pork chop was a good decent size and the noodles, more savoury.
The beef noodle soup was above average, with robust soup and tender chunks of beef, some tendon as well. The Japanese Unagi noodles was commendable as well. Can’t really go wrong if you’ve got the noodle part right.
Prices are slightly higher than the average mall noodles, starting from RM16.80 for mapo noodles to RM28.80 for Unagi noodles, but it’s a good bowl of carbs worth the calories. They also have rice bowls with similar toppings, with lamb brisket topping the list at RM39.80.
Run by the same people behind the former Superfine cafe, you can expect the same care and quality given to the food served here.
Add: Lot 01-02, Seventeen Mall, 998, Jalan 17/38, Petaling Jaya. call: 03-76257715
Come get A Taste of Macau at Yun House, Four Seasons KL it celebrates its 7th anniversary. The exclusive four-hands dining experience combines the talents of chef Anthony Ho from Zi Yat Heen, the one-starred Michelin restaurant at Four Seasons Macau with in-house chef Jimmy …