It was decided last minute that we head out to Houndstooth on Johnston St, to catch up with some friends. It was a bit harder to spot from Johnston that I would have liked, and after doing two laps, then walking from our park we stumbled across it.
As soon as I walked in from the cold, I was met with warmth, and a relaxed feeling which was complimented by the chalkboards, lighting and music (that was streaming from a Record player for that extra feel). The menu is written on the walls, food on one, and drinks on the opposing. I was amazed by the pricing – 2 Courses $20, 3 Courses $25, 4 Courses $30! Being greedy I had to have one of each, so opted for the 4 courses.The menu was simple, laid out in course, with each having around 4 or 5 options to choose from. There was a great variance with a common theme of simplicity. I mulled over my options and then head up to the bar to order the following:
-Starter: Bell Peppers Stuffed with Gorgonzola served on a bed of baby spinach
-Entree: Caramelized Onion, Thyme and Gorgonzola Tart
-Main: Hoisin Duck Crepe with Lettuce and Cucumber
-Desert: Lemon Tart
My Starters arrived and they looked good! 4 stuffed bell peppers, with a nice sheen, full to the brim with Gorgonzola on the bed of spinach. They were tasty, yet very rich, after 2 of them, I shared the rest around the table.
It turns out 3 of us had chosen the same entree, with one opting for the Osso Bucco soup (Which gave me food envy). The Entree was perfect, not too heavy, but being enough to start me off! Then the main arrived, I immediately knew I wouldn’t make it through. The Crepe was huge, folded layer upon layer of intertwined duck, lettuce and cucumber. I immediately pushed aside the Garnish (Cucumber) then started. The duck was cooked perfectly and rightly flavoured. After slamming as much in my gob as I could, I sat back spent and full (with room for desert).
They left just enough time for my crepe to settle and the Lemon tart arrived. I had hoped for individual tarts, however it turned out to be a single decent slice of a delicious lemon pie! nom nom nom.
Overall I was very happy with the meal, even more so with the price! The menu is supposedly changed regularly, so I think I will venture back again. If your up for a big night of drinking, then you may want to go easy as they seem to make their money off Drinks, with the cheapest beer coming in at 7.50 upwards. The service was friendly and simple, so don’t expect full table service 🙂
Give it a try, and hopefully you enjoy it!
A desensitized life 