Are you looking for something culturally significant to attend on Valentine’s Day? Something that can be considered a romantic setting, with live instrumental music and a dining element? If so, Nusantara Arts has come up with the perfect plan for you and your partner, friend, family member, or anyone else that you would like to share a magical evening with.
This year, Valentine’s Day just happens to fall on a Saturday, making for the ideal date to plan for a romantic escapade. Fortunately, Nusantara Arts is planning a Moonlight Gamelan Valentine – a ticketed dinner and performance experience on Saturday, February 14, 2026, from 7:30–9:30 PM at the Nusantara Arts Performance Center in the Elmwood Village.
Couples, friends, and anyone seeking an alternative Valentine’s experience rooted in global culture and live performance are invited to attend this thoughtfully curated live gamelan performance, to be served up with yummy Indonesian cuisine. For anyone that is is not overly familiar with Indonesian cuisine, the dinner will be served family style, featuring nasi tumpeng – a dish symbolizing gratitude and togetherness. Nasi tumpeng is a traditional Indonesian ceremonial meal featuring a cone-shaped mound of rice surrounded by specially prepared dishes.
“In Indonesia all the arts are nourishing for the body mind and soul, including the culinary arts,” said Matthew Dunning, Founder and Executive Director of Nusantara Arts, who noted that there are no Indonesian restaurants in Buffalo. “There is a long tradition of foodie culture there, and an incredible variety of flavors and presentations. There is so much care and attention to detail given, making the experience both delicious and special. If you are on Java you can get this amazing food anywhere, but in Buffalo, you gotta ‘know a guy’ if you want to experience this unique cuisine…