Beta is the tongue-in-cheek, playful culinary playground that is the latest One-Michelin-star luminary in the MICHELIN Guide to Kuala Lumpur & Penang 2024.
An early indication of what to expect from its friendly, relaxed vibe was its entrance - none of those hoity-toity, Zen-ish 50 shades of grey set-up with a pouting Harkonnen receptionist. Instead, it looked like a cross between a kids gymboree and last century Rainforest Cafe, with its proliferation of plastic flora and neon lights. We were half expecting to see an animatronic toucan, orangutan or elephant when we were shown inside.
The spacious, high-ceilinged bar & drinks area. Turned out, they set a long table there to accommodate our 8-person dinner party, as they couldn’t fit us into the main dining room. Oh well.
The main dining area which we couldn’t sit at - would’ve been fun to be in there and watch the kitchen in action.
𝘛𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘰𝘤𝘢 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥, with 𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘴, 𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘪 𝘦𝘮𝘶𝘭𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯.
Our menu degustation:
𝐄𝐚𝐬𝐭 (𝐏𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠, 𝐊𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐧, 𝐓𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐮, 𝐒𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐡, 𝐒𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐤) - These were a trio of elaborately assembled starters, each paying homage to the states within the Malaysian federation with regards to the ingredients used. There wasn’t any attempt to link the preparation techniques of each appetiser item to the respective state’s traditional dish item - so we weren’t any wiser. Beautifully presented, though.
𝘊𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘭 - 𝘖𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘤𝘰𝘤𝘰𝘢 𝘣𝘶𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘬;
𝘚𝘢𝘨𝘰 - 𝘊𝘶𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘴𝘩, 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘳𝘶𝘪𝘵;
𝘔𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘭 - 𝘉𝘢𝘮𝘣𝘰𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘵, 𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘯-𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘥.
South (Negeri Sembilan, Melaka, Johor)
Humble Salad - Pomelo, Yam, Kulim Oil, Peanut
Jungle garlic, known as Buah Kulim, is foraged from the interiors of the rainforest. Processed then steeped in oil, the resultant condiment imparts a deep, garlicky taste and smell to everything it’s added to:
South (Negeri Sembilan, Melaka, Johor)
Scallop - Pumpkin, Cabbage, Fermented Mustard Greens - one of the standouts for this meal - the giant scallop was beautifully cooked and served with an assertively salty-ish soup, courtesy of the fermented mustard greens which cuts into the rich, meaty scallop.
South (Negeri Sembilan, Melaka, Johor)
Tiger Prawn - MD2 Pineapple, Prawn Sambal - the main attraction of this dish was the pineapple foam which juxtaposed well with the grilled prawns. This was one of my favourite dishes for the evening besides my chicken main dish.
Preparing our palate cleanser: Asam pedas sorbet table-side:
There is a choice of main courses. Some of us opted for:
Corn-fed Chicken - Glutinous Rice Wine, Yellow Daylily - well-executed, with the chicken still moist and perfectly-cooked. The sauce was subtle and presenting very familiar flavours to the Chinese palate.
Lamb Rack - Spices, Koji, Smoked Aubergine, Tapioca Leaf - strictly for curry-lovers, but the lamb was perfectly-cooked.
Desserts
Loyang Vol 5 - Black Sesame, Ginger - one of Beta’s claim-to-fame: the Malay “kueh loyang” given an amazing makeover. Only the shape was retained, whilst the new incarnation was unlike anything one has ever tasted before. A must-try - it really did taste as beautifully as it looks.
Bananas - Banana Leaf Ice-cream, Banana Fibres, Preserved Banana, Kombucha - don’t think I “get” this dessert. I love bananas, but this dessert didn’t seem to have brought out any of the banana’s qualities which we looked for: the aroma, the sweetness, the beautifully mellow flavours. None seemed present here.
Overall, a rather flippant, hit-and-miss journey through Malaysia-according-to-Beta. A number of dishes showed great imagination and preserved local flavors.
Service was shaky and lacked sophistication - incorrect placement of cutlery and wine glasses. That certainly needs to be improved upon.
Address
Beta
Cormar Suites, Lot 163, 10, Jalan Perak, 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel: +6019-212 1094
Opening hours: 6pm to 10pm Tue-Sun. Closed on Mondays
