Chef Diego Laso presents his most ambitious gastronomic proposal, based on Japanese kaiseki cuisine and served at an exclusive bar for eight diners.The opening of ‘Onami’ is part of the evolution of the AR Hotels & Resorts group, which manages other establishments such as Audrey’s and AMAS, also in the AR Diamante Beach, or Beat in The Cookbook hotel. They say that the sea never tells the same story twice. That each wave that reaches the shore is different, unrepeatable, fleeting. Onami is born from that transience: from the beauty of the ephemeral, the constant movement, the invisible connection between two worlds that, although distant, share the same essence.

At  the 4-star AR Diamante Beach Spa Hotel & Convention Centre, chef Diego Laso presents his most ambitious and personal proposal to date. Onami—ona (wave in Valencian) and nami (wave in Japanese)—is the fusion of two horizons: that of the Mediterranean and the Sea of Japan. This exclusive restaurant, which will open its doors on Thursday, June 11, in the town of Calpe, proposes a unique culinary experience on the Costa Blanca. Japanese tradition and Mediterranean produce converge in an elegant room, with a central bar, where only eight diners will be served per service. Not one more and not one less, to guarantee the intimacy, calm, and presence that this experience demands.

To understand the new restaurant of the AR Hotels & Resorts group, one must look at the trajectory and experience of the person who will be in charge as executive chef: Diego Laso. The Valencian chef is deeply linked to Japan, a country in which he has made his name, which he continues to visit regularly, and which has inspired most of his gastronomic projects. From the well-known Momiji, recently renovated in the Colón Market in Valencia, to Amas itself, the Japanese concept that also coexists in the hall of the AR Diamante Beach. Onami takes a step further, both in his career and in that of the AR Hotels & Resorts group, known for its high gastronomic standards, since, in Calpe alone, it has two other Michelin-starred restaurants: Audrey’s and Beat.

Kaiseki cuisine and Mediterranean sushi
In Onami there is no menu. The service is conceived as a tasting menu in the kaiseki-ryori style, or what amounts to the same thing, a highly purist traditional Japanese meal, where different dishes are offered that cater to the season. It is not strictly sushi, nor are we facing an omakase bar, a concept that has become very distorted with respect to its original meaning. The Onami diner is faced with the most refined and traditional form of high Japanese cuisine, which until now has not been lavished in Spain. And at the same time, it is nourished by an eminently Mediterranean pantry, where fish and rice are as important as in Japanese culture. You have to let yourself be guided by the chef, who will prepare a tasting menu according to season and market.
As explained by the executive chef of Amas and, now also, of Onami, Diego Laso, with this new restaurant, “the dream of creating a unique and deeply respectful dialogue between local cuisine and Japanese tradition is fulfilled. Japanese produce, fresh, elegant and almost unique, cannot be obtained in Spain so easily. But we have another that is worth highlighting. The same happens with the different techniques in the kitchen. For example, in Japan the main means of cooking is water, while here we have oil. The challenge will be to make these two worlds coexist.”

Although it will evolve over time, the Onami sushi kaiseki tasting menu for the spring and summer of 2026 begins with the Sakizuke (先付け), a delicate oyster appetizer with melon gazpacho; followed by the Hassun (八寸), which consists of a selection of starters, such as the red tuna, zucchini and tomato tartlet; or the seasonal fish sashimi, cured in sake lees and irizarsobre sauce.
Sakizuke/先付け (appetizer): oyster with melon happodashi gazpacho.

Once the kaiseki specialties have been sampled, the diner jumps to the sushi (鮨) section, which includes seasonal fish nigiris, among which the white prawn from Calpe, so characteristic of the territory, will not be missing. There will also be a main course or Shiizakana (強肴), which will start with sea bass, accompanied by halophyte sauce and shallots glazed in soy; and a Suzakana (酢肴), a refreshing tosazu marinade with amontillado, with lobster and vegetables. To culminate, the Tomewan, konomono and sushi (止椀、香の物、鮨), a final sequence of nigiris. And closing, the Mizumono ocha (水物、お茶), or sweet part: citrus and seasonal fruit pavlova accompanied by green tea.

Presence, cellar, and elegance in the room
Onami is articulated around a unique Japanese bar for eight diners, who will not only share a menu, but also space, sensations, and glances. There will be a single service at lunch and another at dinner. The first service of the week will be on Wednesday night. And on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, the restaurant will open both for lunch and dinner. The sittings will be at 2:00 p.m. for lunch service and at 8:30 p.m. for dinner service. Without a doubt, an unprecedented proposal in Calpe that redefines the gastronomic experience to date.
To elevate the experience, Diego Laso surrounds himself with a first-class team. Luis Enrique Castillo is the head chef, as well as the chef’s right-hand man at AR Hotels & Resorts. He is followed by Gregori Gómez, cook, and Pedro Fernández, head of dining room and sommelier. As for the Onami cellar, Fernández has configured a menu that seeks to explore some of the best national references, placing the emphasis on the DO Comunidad Valenciana, as well as wines of limited production. There will also be products from the kuras of sake, tea, whiskey, and Japanese spirits, which will occupy a prominent place.

The AR Group’s Strong Commitment
The opening of Onami is part of the evolution of AR Diamante Beach, which continues to develop a solid gastronomic offering on the Costa Blanca. Last year saw the incorporation of Japanese cuisine by Diego Laso and his first concept, AMAS, inspired by the Japanese women divers who free-dive into the deep waters. A much more informal restaurant, located on the ground floor of the hotel, that complements Onami’s offering. In addition, the group already had Audrey’s on the upper floor of the same building, the first restaurant to be awarded a Michelin Star in Calpe, which pays tribute to seafood cuisine and is led by chef Rafa Soler. This growth of the group demonstrates the entity’s capacity to offer a comprehensive service in which luxury hospitality and gastronomy go hand in hand.

Isaac Vidal, head of marketing and sales for the group and member of the board of directors, explains that Onami was born as a “natural evolution of Amas, consolidating Diego Laso’s proposal at the AR Diamante Beach”. He also emphasizes how the group takes the utmost care of its gastronomic offering: “It is a discipline that is in the DNA of the chain. There are few places that have three such important restaurants, it makes a big difference. In that sense, there is a clear approach: to build the identity of a hotel that is in itself several destinations in one destination where things are constantly happening.

The other very important part of the AR Hotels & Resorts’ restaurant offering can be found at The Cookbook Hotel, which displays all its charms through up to three restaurant concepts. This is a unique accommodation in which to nourish body and soul, stimulating the senses in the swimming pool or spa. But also where you can enjoy an elevated gastronomic experience, as it is home to Beat, the Michelin-starred restaurant headed by chef Jose Manuel Miguel, of French and elegant inspiration. In addition, there is Komfort, which stands out for its Mediterranean cuisine and is recognized as a Bib Gourmand by the Michelin Guide, and finally, Mare, Solete Repsol.

Recently, both Rafa Soler and Jose Manuel Miguel were able to taste Diego Laso’s tasting menu at Onami. This was, without a doubt, the best kick-off to the new concept of the AR Hotels & Resorts Group, which boasts three great chefs in its different gastronomic offerings.
Chefs Rafa Soler, Diego Laso and José Manuel Miguel, at the Onami bar.

What Onami Comes to Tell Us

“Onami means being able to apply the cuisine as I understand it today. I want to draw on a blank canvas,” summarizes Diego Laso. It is essentially a declaration of intent to unite two landscapes: Japan and the Mediterranean. With this project, the Valencian chef is committed to a side that has not yet been exploited by himself to date: two different styles and two different gastronomic cultures, but with the same roots and respect. A challenge for Laso and his team, but also a demonstration of what the AR Hotels & Resorts group is capable of proposing on a global level. Onami will move to the rhythm of the waves. The journey has already begun.

Report by ’24/7 Valencia’ team

Article copyright ’24/7 Valencia’

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