Indonesian cuisine is influenced by the many nationalities that have come and gone from the islands, and it frequently draws comparisons to the gastronomies of Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. Sadly, the food on offer at Nusa Dua isn’t going to help anyone distinguish it from its neighbours.

The Venue
Nusa Dua is ideal for people-watching. Large windows give the restaurant a light and airy feel whilst allowing diners to peer into the windows of the Pizza Express Jazz Club, which is directly opposite. Staff are very friendly and accommodating, and happy to chat about the differences between Indonesian and Vietnamese food, as dishes like Ga Xao Xa Ot are on the menu, a Vietnamese stir-fried dish.

The Atmosphere
Due to its location there is no doubt Nusa Dua attracts a healthy clientele in the evenings, however it’s a quieter affair in the afternoon, with a couple of families and the odd customer popping in to get a takeaway.

The Food
The lunchtime set menus are priced very affordably at under a tenner for two courses, which includes soup and a choice of either rice or noodles. The clear vegetable broth to start with is surprisingly peppery given its clear appearance, and serves as an excellent palate cleanser; it’s a shame that what follows is no more exciting than cheap seafood sticks deep fried in batter and some very ordinary chicken satay. The mains are hit and miss; the rending daging has slow-cooked beef in coconut and spices that falls apart as soon as you stick a fork in; even better are the grilled chicken legs, crispy and full of chilli flavour. Unfortunately the sousi pa, or pan-fried snapper in a spicy coconut milk flavoured with lemongrass and galangal is nowhere near as exciting as it reads. The coconut sauce is bland, the snapper has been overcooked and is dry, as are the noodles.

The Drink
There are two Asian bottled beers, Tiger and Singha, and a selection of popular wines like Merlot, Pinot Grigio and Chablis. Behind the bar are shelves stacked with almost any spirit you can think of, suggesting cocktail-making of some sort goes on, if requested.

The Last Word
Lunch is cheap but not particularly enjoyable, and with the number of small, affordable Asian eateries that are popping up in Soho at the moment one wonders how long Nusa Dua can continue if they don’t up their standards.

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