Get in touch with nature at The Byrneleigh Hotel

It is deliciously risqué to going skinny dipping with your beloved. I don’t know about you but the feeling of jumping into the water completely naked gives me an adrenalin rush and makes me feel like a bit of a rebel. There’s something so invigorating about being completely naked and at one with nature.

That's kind of how I felt when I walked into The Byrneleigh Hotel in Nedlands. The décor is a sleek throwback to the seventies with high, wooden cathedral ceilings, loads of windows and forested wallpaper. Bathed in natural light, the glistening juxtaposition of cherry wood- coloured floors and ceilings against the leafy green “faux” forest made me feel as if I was entering a funky tree-house decked out with a retro twist. Tables are separated by strategically placed dividing walls made up entirely of pot plants that almost reach the ceiling. It was almost as if I was standing in a forest clearing.

I went to the Byrneleigh for dinner with a quirky English friend of mine with a wicked sense of humour to talk about how to spice up her sex life. I was hoping the location would inspire her to get in touch with her essence.

We decided to go straight for mains despite a very tempting “Grazing” starter menu of nibbles such as butternut pumpkin and fetta arancini or the crispy fried pork pieces with sticky chilli BBQ sauce. We could not go past the Dirty Granny cider-braised pork belly with apple and saffron confit, brown butter and almond broccoli or the porcini linguini with wild mushroom, truffle white wine creme and swiss chard.

The pork belly was swathed in a golden glow and perfectly cooked. Crispy on the outside and buttery on the inside the flesh was tender and melted in our mouths. The taste of the apple and saffron confit provided a tart contrast to the salty meat. The accompanying broccoli was a flavourless and withering accompaniment to the dish. The porcini linguini was flavoursome but would have been taken to greater heights had the pasta been home-made. It too was lacking in star-power despite it’s good looking entrance. What was impressive was the presentation of these dishes on a black, rectangular terracotta tablet. It really enhanced our feeling of being on an outdoor adventure and gave a feeling of eating our meals on a wooden plank. We loved it.

Dessert won the prize for the evening. We shared a gooey chocolate brownie with double chocolate ice-cream and candy orange and jaffas. A simple, whimsical and creative dish that made us giggle with guilty pleasure.

Overall we thoroughly enjoyed our dinner at The Byrneleigh. It wasn’t the best tasting meal, nor was the service particularly memorable but the stunning setting, the creative flair in the menu and the element of fantasy in the dining experience made it a fun evening. Most importantly my saucy British girlfriend was inspired to get back into nature and get busy in new ways.

Passion Rating:★★★★★

Food:★★★☆☆

Service:★★☆☆☆

Ambiance:★★★★★

Overall:★★★☆☆

If you don’t feel like going for dinner, The Byrneleigh is a great setting for it’s version of High Tea – a Garden Tea. It’s on Saturdays and Sundays and is the perfect setting for a gaggle of girly-girls to gossip and reconnect over bubbles and decadent petite treats. Take a look at the menu:

- Scones with chef’s raspberry chilli jam & cream- Caramel slice- Lemon meringue- Pumpkin scroll puff pastry- Baby bagels with cream cheese, chive & smoked salmon- Baby bagels with caramelised fig & brie- Baby bagels open faced chicken caesar- Baby bagels with roast beef, horseradish cream & roquette- Selection of Twinings tea