Commune, and swoon, in this Busselton beauty

As a pixie, we hear whispers carried easily in the breeze.

So, when I spied with my little pixie eyes a tantalising tale drifting past, my pointed ears pricked, and my tastebuds danced.

I landed at the door to Inara in the heart of Busselton.

Meaning “Ray of Light” or “Heaven Sent” in Arabic, this Middle Eastern-inspired restaurant seems to have been sent by the gastronomy gods themselves.

However, we have two incredibly gifted mortals to thank for this ray of deliciousness shining bright in Busselton.

Owner and chef Daniel Johnson and his hospitality superstar wife Joanna opened the doors to Inara in November 2023 with the vision of bringing the simple joy of great food through a unique dining experience.

“We wanted to create something new and different and give Busselton a dining experience not being done elsewhere in our beautiful little city,” Daniel said.

“Our mission at Inara is to celebrate the food and hospitality of the Levantine region, showcasing its beautiful culture of togetherness, sharing, and communing over fresh, vibrant food with family and friends.”

“This Levantine region expands over the eastern end of the Mediterranean, including Turkey, Cyprus, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, Jordan and parts of Egypt.”

“The vibrancy and freshness of the cuisine and the intricate use of spices, fruits and nuts separate it from others. It’s a really special cuisine that has so many layers.”

Commune…

Depicting the phrase “Ray of Light” in every way, the bright and airy Inara dining space is chic and sleek. Its curved lines and natural, earthy decor ooze Mediterranean oasis vibes in tones and textures.

Long tables beckon cheer and laughter, and intimate seating invites connection and conversation.

The colourful, fresco-like map of the Levantine region gracing the back wall gives you an inkling of the journey you’re about to embark on. However, this beautiful notion cannot prepare one for the exquisiteness they will experience on the plate.

Swoon…

“The heart is cooking a pot of food for you”, the famous Persian poet Rumi wrote.

These words, spoken thousands of years ago, are woven into every tendril of aroma that escapes the kitchens of Inara and are the very fabric of its heart and soul.

“We have a strong love for the food of the Levantine region, and we want to express this in each dish we create so our diners can experience this passion too,” explained Daniel.

The love for this region is the delicious result of years of exploration throughout the Middle East. During this time, Daniel delved deep into these exotic countries’ spice-filled tales and traditions, developing a passion for the unusual and a determination to translate these ancient ingredients’ beautiful history and language onto the plate.

The passionate chef honed his craft along the way as the Culinary Director at Alila Jabal Akhdar and in executive chef roles at luxurious Maldivian resorts like Jumeirah Dhevanafushi, Huvafen Fushi Resort, COMO Cocoa Island, and Bedara Island in Queensland-until WA began calling the wandering souls back to its stunning shores.

“After many years of living overseas, we decided to move back to WA. We didn’t want to live in a big city; once down here, we fell in love with Busselton. It’s such a beautiful place in every waythe people, the fresh air, and the wonderful pace of life.”

“The biggest influence on our food is the ability to source fresh, quality ingredients on our doorstep, which is what our dishes are all about! The vibrancy of food that smells, tastes and is visually fresh with life!”

The open-plan kitchen at Inara is a stage of mastery, with each day an opening show of what all the goodness in life and the Levantine region can offer.

As the mezze plates appear before you, these offerings will have your foodie hearts doing backflips and cartwheels.

In its simplest form, the ancient Turkish word ‘Mezze‘ means shared snacks. At Inara, it translates as “Heaven Sent”.

The team transforms the traditional into something that can only be described as ingenious, keeping the essence of the Levantine region while crafting an entirely new tune.

You’ll keep tearing chunks of the freshly baked Bazlamaan airy, cooked-to-perfect pitta that sits puffy and proud like the King of all breads to lather with heavenly hummus as silky as the finest Ottoman robes.

Graced with a goddess-like green tahini surrounded by a whirlpool of luxurious olive oil topped with crunchy roasted chickpeas, this Middle Eastern favourite takes the word hommus to another dimension.

The Abrolhos Scallops are a juicy, savoury, citrus fusion bathed in a delicate dash of preserved lemon butter atop cauliflower skordalia. You’ll be unashamedly wiping that shell with your finger to make it last…

Barramundi basks in pomegranate brown butter, spring onion hindbeh, and walnut tarator. Float from the sea to the land, as Middle Eastern cuisine, is a meat-lover’s dream.

Graze your way through the Beef Short Rib Pastirma, yogurt bread, sivri biber, and smoked yogurt alongside the Shish Barak, a dish of dumpling morsels filled with luscious lamb dressed in a carob and pistachio dressing.

The wood-fired grill sears the sexy Shakshukit, a slow-roasted hawaij-spiced shoulder of Amelia Park lamb dotted with pine nuts and cured lemon, and cool lashings of tahini yogurt.

The coals add a cheeky charr to the lively Chicken Bulgur bi jara, black garlic labneh and za’atar. Venture into the garden of Mediterranean Eden, where vegetables take centre stage in the form of the sweet and savoury sublime Mafghousaa charred zucchini, yogurt, date, fried pine nuts, mint, and tomato meld.

Spring sings brightly in the Asparagus, with fava bean skordalia, kissed with a pop of mandarin chermoula.

The Broccoli Tabouleh salad, is a freekeh, mulberry, mixed seeds, mint, feta, and pomegranate honey plate of pure bliss. This is what Inara does so well, it showcases each ingredient’s beauty and flavour separately yet simultaneously as one complete picture.

“What inspires me is the ability to bring a moment of contentment and utter joy to a person’s day through a complete food and dining experience,” Daniel said.

Joanna shares the same sentiment. “What I love most about this industry is the opportunity to create memorable experiences through food. I’m a foodie at heart, and introducing people to new flavours and culinary adventures brings us so much joy, especially in our beautiful community. It’s why we come to work each day.”

And this little Pixie is so glad they turn up each day, as will you, my friends.

To visit Inara is to journey into the tales of a Thousand and One Arabian Nights; you’ll sit at Ali Baba’s feast and dream of faraway lands.

Ma’ssalaame...go with peace.