The Houndstooth Restaurant

“We went to Houndstooth to celebrate my husband’s birthday. I wished we had been able to also stay at the B&B. The 5-course meal was outstanding, delicious, and filling! The wine pairings and cocktails were also spot on and delicious! We will be coming back again.”

“We had dinner at Houndstooth Restaurant for our anniversary. It’s a Prix Fixe Menu. The service was excellent, all five courses were outstanding . We didn’t go with the wine pairing and ordered a bottle of wine of our choice, the only down side is that they chill the red wine at 52 degrees which is pretty cold! In Spain and Italy they do not chill the red wine at all. It loses the taste. Scott who handled the whole night perfectly well is a gem. I highly recommend this restaurant.”

“If you aren't staying at Glen Gordon Manor, you should be. Having a restaurant of this quality a walk down the hall away is an absolute treat! However, even if you aren't staying at the Inn, you should 100% make reservations for the Houndstooth Restaurant. We dined here two evenings out of our three and it was an exceptional experience. Five-course menu that was VERY vegetable forward with thoughtful inclusions of protein as well. Amazing plating presentations and the staff did a wonderful job of describing each dish in detail.”

“Progressively more extravagant, and progressively more flavorful. Houndstooth’s unique atmosphere and flavors will leave you in everlasting awe of the chef and his creativity. The white chocolate mousse and passion fruit egg had other guests asking if the egg was real and how much of it was edible (because it looked so realistic)! While the dessert dish was my favorite, each preceding dish was a standout as well. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve had octopus that was a little too chewy or borderline rubbery. I thought that was what octopus was supposed to taste like! At Houndstooth, the octopus was insanely tender, cooked to perfection! I also loved the chimichurri sauce and mini potato chips, both of which were outstanding flavor complements and texture complements to the octopus. And regarding the salad, wow. Just wow. So may times, I’ve been to a restaurant that has tried to incorporate a lot of different ingredients into a meal. The end result is usually a dish that looks great but feels detached from each ingredient, making you wonder, what was the point? Usually, I find a more holistic approach, where all ingredients can be incorporated into one spoonful/forkful, is better. But not in the case of the salad. The salad was clearly a dish that was cut into thirds, each third distinct and equally enjoyable, without any guesswork on the part of the diner. I knew just what to do when I received the meal, and my taste buds knew just how to rejoice when they experienced the meal. The beef tenderloin was amazing, the shaved truffle atop the leek-based soup was amazing. The customer service, from our waitress to the owner (who wound up taking us on a tour throughout the property), was incredible. If you’re looking for the perfect dining experience, alongside perfect views of Shenandoah National Park, Houndstooth is a must. You will not be disappointed.”

“Food - 4/5 Ambiance - 5/5 Service - 3/5 Value - 3/5 The highest mark has to go to the ambiance - tasteful music, intimate lighting, elegant decor. The food presentation was top notch and the ingredients were seasonal. However, the beef course was a bit lackluster, and there was a wide lack of temperature control across the whole dinner - the soup was dangerously hot, and the white wine was much too cold. The service and value go hand-in-hand in my rating, I was disappointed with the lack of professionalism for the price - they touched our wine glasses when pouring, didn’t know the country of origin for one of the wines, and their reach was so intrusive that I had to rearrange my glasses on the table. The staff are generally too casual for my comfort but this may be a matter of personal preference. * UPDATE, 3 DAYS LATER * Glen Gordon called me after seeing this review. They apologized for the poor service and explained that their usual service staff were unable to work that night due to extenuating circumstances; still, they conceded, they shouldn’t have to give this explanation. They considered this a training opportunity for their new staff member. They appreciated my honesty and took the feedback to heart, saying that as a small family-run business, getting things right is important to them. Thank you, Glen Gordon, for this humble gesture.”