Looking for a private dining option in Aldwych with character, heart and offering a taste of the Indonesian archipelago? You have to try Le Nusa, an elegant, central restaurant with capacity for up to 50 guests in its downstairs dining room.
The restaurant’s name comes from the Indonesian word for 'archipelago', and that breadth of culinary influence gives group dinners a distinctive identity, perfect for friends or family, and especially suited to entertaining - and impressing - clients. The downstairs dining room is available to book for larger private parties, seating up to 50 guests. Visually, it feels wonderfully glamorous, making your evening feel like a real treat. Deep red walls and timber finishes are balanced by green upholstered banquettes and cane-backed chairs, while crystal chandeliers sit beneath striking geometric ceiling lights. The layering of traditional and contemporary details gives the room plenty of character, meaning little additional styling is needed to make dinner feel special. Also, with a prime spot downstairs, the whole floor is yours making it an exclusive enclave just for your guests - which is a really nice touch.
As for the food, begin with dishes such as Asinan, where pan-fried prawns are served with rujak sauce, seasonal fruit and vegetables and an Asinan granita. Vegan options include crisp seasonal vegetable Bakwan Goreng with sweet soy-chilli sauce, fried tempeh with spring onion, or Sayur Lodeh, a comforting coconut milk and sweetcorn soup with tempeh, aubergine and chayote.
Mains showcase very different sides of Indonesian cooking. Ribeye Maranggi pairs Aberdeen Black steak with spiced shoestring potatoes, sambal tomat and Maranggi sauce, while Bakmi Ayam combines egg noodles with braised chicken thigh, mushrooms, sweet soy and crisp wonton crackers. Cumi Woku makes an impressive seafood choice, bringing together butter-poached whole squid and mussels with squid-ink rice and smoked artichoke hearts. For plant-based guests, Pepes Tahu layers steamed tofu with aromatic herbs, green beans, pickled shimeji mushrooms and Pindang sauce.
Desserts include Ketan Sarikaya includes rice with pandan custard, cashew crumble and vanilla tuile, while Gethuk pairs cassava cake with sago, coconut ice cream and cashew biscuit, while the vegan Nagasari brings banana and coconut milk cake together with jackfruit sauce and Andaliman sorbet.