Beta KL Restaurant has been awarded one Michelin star. It is located in Malaysia’s capital, Kuala Lumpur, practically in the city centre. The head chef at Beta is Raymond Tham, one of the most renowned chefs in Malaysia. He studied in London, then lectured at KDU University in Malaysia, and later opened two restaurants, followed by another. At Beta KL, he strives to showcase Malaysian cuisine in a new light, reinterpreting favourite dishes and proving that it’s not just street food, but also creative, refined restaurant cuisine.
To find the restaurant, you need to walk down a small alley between two skyscrapers and look for doors adorned with green leaves.
The interior is done in dark tones, mainly black and red, decorated with red velvet curtains and wooden accents. The restaurant itself is quite large, with several rooms that are well-lit thanks to large windows, despite being located in an alley between buildings. In the first room, there’s a large bar in the centre, surrounded by small tables and stools where guests sit to review the menu and enjoy the first snacks.
Beta offers a tasting menu divided into sections titled “north,” “east,” and “south,” corresponding to snacks, appetizers, and main courses. Desserts are in a separate section. This division is meant to showcase the culinary heritage of Malaysia from different regions of the country. Additionally, you can order a dish with rice and abalone, which is quite popular in Asian restaurant menus. Abalone is a type of edible sea snail, also known as a sea ear, prized for its delicate flavour and firm yet juicy texture. Along with the extra dish, there’s an option to order a drink pairing consisting of cocktails and wines.
We began our dinner in the first room, where we were served snacks and champagne. A surprising touch was the arrival of the snacks on a cart, meant to pay tribute to local farmers who cultivate Malaysian land and provide food for its people. The snacks were served in a wooden box, featuring shrimp on a black sponge cake with a sauce that had distinct curry notes, inspired by a traditional fish dish from the Penang region; two types of duck meat with green chili mayonnaise and rice noodle crisps; and mini corn with budu sauce. It was an excellent start. The snacks were aromatic, beautifully presented, and whetted our appetite for the rest of the dinner.
After finishing the snacks, we moved to our table. On the way, we were shown a basket of local products, including beautifully fragrant jungle garlic with hints of truffle, ginger torch flowers, lemongrass, and a special sweet variety of pineapple.
Our table was in a room where the feature wall was decorated with a large, colourful artwork that gave the space a very energetic feel. The other walls and ceiling were black, which beautifully highlighted the colourful wall.
At the table, we were first served bread made from tapioca flour with fermented soybeans and chili paste. The rolls were incredibly fluffy and light, still warm, fragrant, and with a wonderful, bold flavour. They were perfect with the chili paste. During dinner, we were offered more bread, but we declined to save room for the rest of the meal. However, we would have gladly eaten more if not for the upcoming dishes from the menu.
The first appetizer was inspired by the Malaysian dish ulam, a type of herbal salad. Pieces of shellfish and seaweed were interspersed with various herbs, accompanied by caviar and a clear broth made from fermented tomatoes. The whole dish was served in a “pan shell” clam shell, a key ingredient in the dish, similar in taste and texture to scallops. The dish was exquisite, highly aromatic, and beautifully presented. It was paired with a perfectly matching cocktail based on gin, ginger, and salt, which was dry, slightly spicy, salty, and complemented the appetizer wonderfully.
The next appetizer was crab, served in a style inspired by the famous Malaysian dish laksa. The crab meat was covered with a sheet of rice noodles and surrounded by a crab bisque infused with laksa flavours. The dish could be adjusted to taste with chili oil, served in a dark bottle with tweezers. This was another beautifully presented, creative dish, and another that impressed us with its bold aroma, creamy texture, and combination of ingredients.
The next appetizer surprised us, mainly because one of its ingredients was durian, which we generally don’t like. But let’s start from the beginning. In a bowl with metal paddles for serving, we were presented with sunchokes glazed with fermented durian, mushrooms, asparagus, and edible soil. On a separate plate, there was an egg with foamy whites and a liquid yolk. Surprisingly, the durian didn’t have its typical overpowering flavor, likely thanks to the fermentation, and in such a small quantity, it blended perfectly with the rest of the dish. The sunchoke was soft, slightly nutty, and paired well with the egg on the plate. This dish was also complemented by a cocktail made from house rice wine with Malibu, coconut crumble, and egg white foam.
An intermezzo to cleanse our palates was prepared in front of us using liquid nitrogen. It was a sorbet made from an herbal mixture that included lemongrass, lime, and ginger flower, served in a labu sayong, a traditional jug closely linked to Malaysian culture, traditionally used to store drinking water. This was a lovely local touch. As for the sorbet – it was wonderfully refreshing, with a slight tingle on the tongue from the tangy lime and spicy ginger flower.
After this show, it was time for the first main course. The ingredients of this dish were inspired by the Kristang community living in southern Malaysia, the descendants of the Portuguese from Melaka. It was lamb served with jungle garlic paste, soy-glazed eggplant, and spicy debal sauce, rooted in Portuguese traditions in Asia. The meat was cooked to a perfect medium rare, flavourful thanks to the accompaniments, and tasted fantastic.
Rather unusually, after the meat dish, we were served a delicate patin fish, steamed, with sauce, herbs, and grilled mushrooms. This was another successful offering, which may not look exceptional in photos, but tasted brilliant.
After the fish, it was time for the dish we added to our tasting menu. It was kaffir lime-flavored rice with diced pickled radish, topped with caviar and abalone covered in a glaze reminiscent of sweet soy sauce. The kaffir lime aroma was very refreshing, pairing well with the creamy caviar without overpowering its flavor. The abalone was tender and complemented the dish perfectly. We were glad we decided to add this to our menu.
After such a feast, it was time for desserts. First, we were served jackfruit sorbet with rice wine, diced guava, rose apple, cashew crumble, and a spicy chili syrup. The dessert was mildly sweet, slightly savoury, and slightly spicy thanks to the sauce at the bottom of the plate. For us, this flavour was extraordinary. The sorbet was accompanied by a cocktail inspired by the famous Old Fashioned, made with rum infused with pandan and bitter cocoa beans, with banana syrup to add sweetness.
The final dessert was Loyang. Loyang is a festive cookie in Malaysia, popular among Malays, Chinese, and Indians alike. Traditionally, it’s a coconut-based cookie fried in oil. At Beta, it’s served as frozen white chocolate with a flavour that changes depending on the season. We had the curry leaf and hibiscus version. It was a light white chocolate shell with a filling that gave it an interesting herbal note. On a separate plate, there was chocolate mousse and the words “Welcome to Malaysia,” which was a wonderfully warm touch, perhaps slightly kitschy in some eyes, but it fit perfectly with the character of the entire dinner. Fantastic!
The service at the restaurant was impeccable. We were well taken care of from the moment we entered the restaurant. The unique start at a small table in the first room, followed by the presentation of the product basket and then moving to our table, was a great concept. We were offered extra bread several times. The descriptions of the dishes were informative and allowed us to learn more about the local cuisine. We rate the menu itself very highly. We discovered new flavors, experienced the chef’s talent, and explored the culinary heritage of Malaysia. The wine and cocktail pairing was a very interesting idea. Asian cuisine can be challenging for wine pairings, but the cocktails filled this gap perfectly. We highly recommend this experience!