| Food | * * * 1/2 |
| Service | * * 1/2 |
| Ambience | * * * 1/2 |
| Value | 4.5 |
| Cost | $ $ $ |
| Dish | Price |
Value | Rating | |
| Bagna Calda (serves 4) | $4.00 |
* * * 1/2 | * * * * | |
| Riccioli | 10.00 |
* * 1/2 | * * * | |
| Neon Ravioli | 12.00 |
* * 1/2 | * * * | |
| Lasagna | 12.00 |
* * | * * * 1/2 | |
| 40 Clove Chicken | 12.00 |
* * * | * * * 1/2 | |
| Pork Chop | 14.00 |
* * | * * * | |
| Rabbit | 15.00 |
* * 1/2 | * * 1/2 | |
| Garlic Mashed Potatoes | * * * 1/2 |
| Other Menu Selections | Price |
| Garlic Chowder Soup | $5.00 |
| Ballpark 40 Clove Chicken Sandwich | 5.00 |
| Chicken, Bell Pepper, Onion, Garlic, Mozzarella 6" Pizzette | 6.00 |
| Spicy Lamb Ravioli in Broth with Tomato, Spinach, and Roasted Garlic | 12.00 |
| Braised Lamb Shank with Garlic Mashed Potatoes | 13.00 |
| Italian bouillabaise with Garlic Polenta | 18.00 |
| Gilroy's famous Garlic Ice Cream | 4.00 |
| Assorted Daily Specials |
The Stinking Rose is one of the most original restaurants in San Francisco (also in L.A.) and one of the most popular. Reservations are pretty much mandatory. Warning: If you don't really like garlic, don't go here! "Rose" is located near the corner of Broadway and Columbus (on Columbus), particularly near Chinatown, the "Strip" strip, and North Beach. The parking is atrocious. You can expect to spend $10-14 up front on parking alone!
Once you arrive, all members of your party must be ready when they call your name or they won't even let you go in and sit down. There is a small store area as well as a cramped bar area as you come in, with garlic paraphenalia all around. They have cute cartoony art on the wall that has a distinct garlic theme (little garlic people, a garlic bus...).
The Stinking Rose is a large restaurant with lots of back rooms, but the tables are really close to each other, almost so much so that those who were over 6' tall had great difficulty getting into their seats. It can be very noisy, and can be difficult to make any kind of conversation.
Our group started out with the Bagna Calda (or Garlic Hot Tub). They have these ingenious candles with ironwork above them, which house the little pans with the roasted garlic in oil. Then they ply you with endless amounts of house-baked French bread with which to contain that great roasted garlic. What I recommend, is to take the raw garlic, chili, and green onion mixture on the table, and combine it with the roasted variety. Together or separate, it makes for a great garlic combination. And never fear, everyone else in the whole dang restaurant is consuming as much garlic as you, so I don't think they'll be offended by the resultant smell!
Despite a revolutionary ordering system, where they send your order by a hand-held radio transmitter, the service was a little slow in getting our entrees to the table, not surprising, thoug, given the volume of people they serve. Three of us, including myself, opted for the 40-clove garlic chicken with garlic mashed potatoes. The chicken was tender, and the garlic taste was not overwhelming. The garlic had been roasted and there was a faint taste of lemon, perhaps to cut back on the bite. The garlic mashed potatoes were heavenly, with not too much butter or garlic, but creamy just the same. Three of our group also sampled some of the pasta dishes (riccioli, ravioli, and lasagna). The Riccioli was a tight-curlicue pasta with a strong garlic afterbite, as well as a good tomato, olive oil, and basil base. The Neon Ravioli was a vegetarian ravioli stuffed with potato, onion, and mozzarella. The Vegetarian Lasagna consisted of wild mushrooms, eggplant, garlic, peppers, spinach, onions, mozzarella, and tomato sauce. The pasta dishes did not include any garlic mashed potatoes and the servings were a little on the small side, but being pasta, were very filling.
In addition, two of our party ventured to try the Braised Rabbit and the Pork Chop. Both agreed the flavor was excellent, but the portions small. The general pattern seemed to be: the costlier the item, the smaller the portion. The problem with these really trendy places is that they will charge what they want, serve the size portions they want, and even if you don't return, someone with more money will. Since all menu items are basically a la carte (some come with garlic mashed potatoes, but not many), the cost of a meal here can really add up!
We enjoy each of our visits to the Stinking Rose, but there are several debits which detract from its overall experience: too crowded, slow service, bad section of town, limited parking, small portions, and high prices. The upside, however, is the food is great; and if you really like garlic, you'll deal with these negative aspects. On the whole, however, Stinking Rose is a great restaurant.