Glenlaurel Inn is a cosy Scottish-themed country inn in the Hocking Hills, about an hour drive from Columbus. We made our first visit there earlier this month for dinner as guests of the Inn. Glenlaurel is the perfect place for an anniversary or intimate dinner for two and with a range of accommodations, including crofts and cottages, you can turn your dinner into a romantic getaway.
Dinner is served at 7pm each evening and consists of a 6 course set menu (7 courses on Saturday). The entree protein varies daily so if your preference is duck, salmon, pheasant or beef you can time your visit accordingly.
If you arrive early for dinner, there is time for a drink either on the deck if weather permits or in the Loch Ness Pub. Glenlaurel does not currently have a liquor permit (it’s on the ballot though so fingers crossed) which means that all drinks are BYO. I wish I had thought to pack some after-dinner scotch. We did enjoy a glass of Kinkead Ridge on the deck while watching deer in the woods and nibbling on the provided cheese and crackers.
Bagpipe music is played to announce that it is time for dinner and continues softly throughout the meal. Having been seated at our table we were read a short Robert Burns poem and had a chance to peruse our personalized menu card.
On the day of our visit, dinner was:
- Duck and Wild mushrooms in a crispy phyllo with smoked gouda fondue.
- Butternut squash soup with apple relish
- Bibb lettuce, strawberry, sugared pecan and goat cheese salad with poppy seed dressing
- Blackberry port wine sorbet
- Scottish salmon with chive peppercorn beurre blanc, risotto and grilled asparagus
- Maple pumpkin crème brûlée with cinnamon whipped cream
The first two courses were our favorites, but we found the entire meal to be enjoyable. I apologize for the lack of food photos, but lighting was too dim. As the menu changes daily you are unlikely to have the same dishes when you visit.
The Inn sits on a 140 acre estate with hiking trails and a private gorge. We didn’t have time to explore before it got dark, but from what we could see the grounds were very pretty. The current owners have owned the Inn for 6 years and the chef has been in residence for the last 4 years.
And here’s the competition! We have a dinner for two at Glenlaurel to give away – perfect if you have a special anniversary or birthday coming up or just want an excuse to head down to Hocking Hills. The gift certificate is valid until 12/31/11 and can only be used Monday-Thursday. Please note that Glenlaurel has a dress code.
To enter please answer the following questions by October 7th at 5pm and email your answers to: bethiawoolf @ columbusfoodadventures.com. All of the answers can be found on the Inn’s website.
What does glen mean?
What night would pheasant be on the menu at Glenlaurel?
Who are the cottages named after?
Please email your answers – do not post them in the comments. A winner will be picked at random from the correct entries and will be notified by email on October 7th.
