Beta Kuala Lumpur Has Mapped Malaysia Onto a Menu

At Beta, dinner is more of a journey than simply a meal. It begins in the north and winds its way through Malaysia, course by course. The Michelin-starred Kuala Lumpur restaurant, helmed by head chef and co-owner Raymond Tham, has built its latest menu around the country’s regional identities, transforming familiar flavours and ingredients into something altogether more unexpected.

The culinary expedition begins in the restaurant’s lounge, where three small bites arrive with the ceremony of an opening act. Assam laksa-infused squid with mackerel sorbet, a delicate corn-fed chicken roulade inspired by Ipoh, and peknga—a Kedah-style pancake—reworked with coconut, belimbing buluh, and salted fish. “Our menu is inspired by different regions of Malaysia: flavours, ingredients, and storytelling as well,” explains Tham. It is a compact introduction to Penang, Ipoh, Kedah, and Perlis—an early lesson in Tham’s ability to make regional Malaysian flavours feel both instantly recognisable yet entirely new.

At the table, even the bread has a story. A zero per cent yeast bread—an inventive nod to wartime Malaysia when rice was scarce—sets the stage with a tangy dipping of tapioca, fermented black beans, and a red chilli emulsion. From there, the menu travels eastward: a charred Sarawakian prawn arrives against the cool crunch of bubuk kering, with the smoky flavours also amplified by the accompanying rice lees. Next, tender scallop meets the tangy, spice-laced character of Sabah’s pinasakan and the unmistakable wild ginger heat of tuhau. “One of my favourite appetisers from this round would be the inspiration from Sabah, pinasakan,” Tham reflects when asked about his personal highlights from the menu. For diners, however, he promises that “one of the crowd pleasers is the slow-braised short ribs,” and he is right: the charcoal-finished beef, slicked with a masak hitam sauce and offset by acar and kadok, is deep, smoky, and excitingly unrestrained.

By the time the menu reaches the central and southern regions of Malaysia, the flavours become deeper and more assured. Patin arrives with cekur and jicama; lamb is paired with pickled mustard and betel curry; and Miyazaki wagyu striploin is treated with roasted garlic and Chinese herbs. The wagyu striploin, in particular, needs little adornment, its tenderness and flavour doing most of the heavy lifting. For those inclined towards more, an optional course of abalone heirloom rice, topped with local caviar and kaffir lime, makes a compelling detour with another layer of Malaysian richness.

Dessert, naturally, refuses to stay within the expected. Beta’s Loyang Vol. 8 combines banana, pandan, and kaffir lime in a delicate reinterpretation of the traditional Malaysian confection, while a teh tarik inspired creation translates Cameron Highlands tea, pappadum, and curry leaf into an unexpectedly convincing dessert. By the final chocolate composition, Beta has turned Malaysia’s culinary landscape into something familiar, surprising, and entirely delectable.

Beta KL