HOW WOULD you use the word beta in a sentence? I query. Muhammad, whose command of Malay far exceeds mine, is silent for some seconds, the gears in his brain gently whirring.
“Say this restaurant gets a great review from Malaysia Tatler,” he begins, “and the Sultan rings them up to make reservations. After the evening’s repast, his majesty might proclaim, ‘Inilah yang beta inginkan!’ Unlike saya or aku, the pronoun beta is reserved for royalty,” patiently explains my pal. Picturing the hypothetical king lolling in his seat, gesturing for the receipt, I am satisfied with Muhammad’s answer. The ‘2018 Tour of Malaysia’ degustation menu at Beta KL is, after all, fit for a king.
THE SECOND COMING
Doted on by five fast friends, Skillet At 163 and Beta KL…