After making our way back from Powell & Market, we rushed to the Stinking Rose over at Columbus Avenue because we had 8pm reservations. Despite the fact that we had a reservation, we still had to wait 10-15 minutes to be seated. It was a busy Friday night and the fact that there were 8 in our party didn’t exactly help. In retrospect, 10-15 minutes wasn’t all that bad because it gave me some time to snap a few shots of the place.
(left) general dining area (right) the bar
What I really love about the Stinking Rose is it’s decor. It has “mix and match” type of decorative flair with warm tones and a flashy, yet warm ambiance, like a “Burlesque” show. In the back, booths with velvet and leopard print curtains are also available for customers seeking a more “private” dining experience.
(left) a tasty necessity, fresh garlic sauce (right) garlic infused olive oil
For starters, we began with the Bagna Calda, which according to the menu (great description, by the way) is “Garlic cloves, oven-roasted in extra virgin olive oil and butter with a hint of anchovy. A wonderful treat for spreading on our house-baked focaccia bread. Served at your table in an iron skillet.” A wonderful treat indeed! You really need to try this, specially if you love garlic. All you need to do is spread it over the rolls and add some of the garlic herb sauce on top. Voila! I had about three and a half pieces of this…I couldn’t stop.
(left) Bagna Calda (right) bread spread with Bagna Calda and topped with garlic sauce
I opted for the Garlic Encrusted Baby Back Ribs. The meat was extremely tender, basically fell apart just by using my fork. I think the extra cloves of garlic and rosemary were a bit much, but the ribs were quite delightful. I didn’t even need the BBQ sauce.
Neon Ravioli stuffed with potato and cheese Garlic basil Alfredo sauce was ordered by my niece. I did not try it so I cannot comment on its taste. I did not hear any complaints so I assume it was quite tasty.
Porterhouse Pork Chop pan-roasted with a sweet Garlic relish & caramelized apples. WutDaPho and my bro-in-law ordered these “chops”, which were quite tasty. I didn’t quite care for the pickled garlic, but it was a nice touch nonetheless. I only had a little cut of it, but it didn’t disappoint. You can taste garlic in almost every bite, even the mash potatoes.
Italian Garlic Meat Loaf with pan gravy. Mrs G-lato ordered this dish, so I actually had more than a few bites of it. I didn’t try the green spinach, but the meatloaf wasn’t too bad. Just not very memorable. The restaurant has many better options, so I would recommend trying those first.
Chicken & Asparagus, spinach fettuccine, roasted tomatoes and pine nuts. I did not have this, partly because I was getting rather full taste testing everyone’s dishes and also because it didn’t look very appetizing. Yokomo didn’t exactly sing it’s praises, so I will have to say “skip it”.
Seafood Black Linguine, fresh shell fish in a zesty tomato sauce. This was good. Loaded with shrimp, crab and mussels. The black linguini was delicious despite the odd color. I will definitely give this another shot next time I dine there. I think this dish topped my garlic encrusted baby back ribs, being the best dish ordered that night.
On to dessert!!! Gilroy’s Famous Garlic Ice Cream with Mojo Sauce. Cold, sweet and a little spicy. I really like the garlic ice cream from Gilroy. It doesn’t look like much, but if you haven’t had garlic ice cream before, you should give it a try. Highly recommended.
The Stinking Rose is called that for a reason. Everything you eat has a “healthy” dose of garlic in it. Not nearly enough to knock you out, but more than enough to burn nose hairs every time you speak to people within few feet from you. The lingering effects of garlic will last at least a good 24 hours, making that morning breath rather toxic. Watch out for the fresh garlic herb sauce though, people have been known to get sick from consuming good amounts of it…at least that is what our waiter said when we cleaned out two jars of it.
My Bay Area adventure is far from over! As Apu from the Simpsons would say, “thank you. come again!”.
Garlic lover’s paradise
The place to be if you like Cal-Italian cuisine
Not exactly the cheapest restaurant around, but certainly not outrageous
Garlic breath lingers and can incapacitate unsuspecting family and friends
The Stinking Rose – San Francisco
325 Columbus Ave
San Francisco, CA 94133
(415) 781-7673
Hours: 11-11 Daily
The Stinking Rose – Beverly Hills
55 N. La Cienega Blvd
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
(310) 652-7673
Hours: 11-11 Daily
1. Weirdest thing you have had for breakfast?
* Sushi & Sashimi
2. Most desperate meal you've ever had?
* Canned corn with a slice of American cheese, microwaved.
3. When you eat too much, you...
* Sit back on my chair and stare at the ceiling blankly...in pain. 
