'Vampires Welcome' at Garlic Rose

Diners at the Garlic Rose Bistro in downtown Madison must not just love eating garlic. They must also be willing to taste, breathe, and sweat it for virtually an entire day after a meal at the garlic-themed eatery. Breath mints, mouthwash, and multiple teeth-brushing sessions are no match for the residual vapors caused by the garlic-laced dishes served up at the Garlic Rose. Don’t get me wrong; this assault on the senses would be well worth it if the menu could stand up to the overdosing of garlic. Unfortunately, it does not—not in flavor profiles or cooking techniques.

The bistro, which has a second branch in Cranford, makes no bones about its leanings toward garlic. Strands of garlic bulbs hang from the ceiling, and the menu incorporates kitchy garlic play-on-names such as Veal Garlicini. And then there’s the bistro’s name, which says it all. One would have to be deaf, dumb, blind, and olfactory-challenged to not know that garlic is the main event in this kitchen—and a lot of it. If you don’t like garlic, you have absolutely no business being there, despite the fact that the menu specifies the kitchen can lighten up or omit garlic upon request.

Bread is served with a choice of garlic oil (an herb-oil blend of chopped, raw garlic) or somewhat undercooked, underseasoned, roasted garlic bulbs. The intent (although not explained at all by the server) is to squeeze an individual clove of garlic out of its papery skin onto a slice of bread. When cooked properly, the roasting method takes the bite out of the garlic and renders a delectable, mellow garlic marmalade-like bit. However, instead of cutting off the top of the bulb and roasting it directly in olive oil, Garlic Rose’s chef scores the bulb across the center and leaves it intact, resulting in a firmer, less flavorful, disappointing spread. Garlic bread or garlic butter would have been a more welcomed choice.

Garlic Rose’s starters run the gamut from Three Onion and Garlic Soup ($7.95) to Garlic Festival Stuffed Mushrooms ($8.95) to Garlicious Escargots ($7.95). There are several salads including a Caesar, baby spinach, and arugula ($8.95-$10.95), a few of which feature garlic-based dressings. I tried the Garlic Angels on Horseback appetizer ($10.95), which was a nice-sized portion of Gulf shrimp stuffed with lump crabmeat and wrapped with a strip of apple-smoked bacon. Each element of the dish not only stood out nicely—it also stood up to the underlying, subtle garlic seasoning.

And then the onslaught of garlic began in earnest. I chose the gnocchi and Italian sausage ($17.95) out of the many garlic-named pastas ($14.95-$21.95). The gnocchi were cooked fairly well, and the sausage had a decent kick to it, but garlic dominated the one-note dish (and not in a good way)—right down to the broccoli florets which were drowning in it.

The house specialties list includes several seafood, poultry, and meat options, including a center cut Frenched rib pork chop ($22.95), Garlic Rose Crab Cakes ($21.95), and Garlic Rose Chicken ($17.95). I sampled the Veal Scallopini Garsala ($21.95), which featured two overcooked, rubbery medallions of veal, mushy asparagus spears, and a gummy garlic Marsala demi-glace. The only thing that saved the plate was the side portion of garlic scalloped potatoes, which were crusty on top and creamy between the potato layers.

Luckily, Garlic Rose opted not to try to inject garlic into their desserts, and the tiramisu ($7.50) was divine. The ladyfingers were light and fluffy, the whipped cream was perfection, and the light drizzle of chocolate across the top brought everything together. After the taste-bud-numbing meal I had, the lovely tiramisu was quite a nice surprise.

The BYO restaurant’s casual décor is a bit outdated. Faux brick decals dot the walls between the many holiday decorations that are already on display in full force even though it isn’t Thanksgiving yet. Service is slow and not particularly attentive (the hostess eventually ended up taking my order), and I was told over the phone that they were booked solid until 7 p.m., which was completely contrary to the half-empty tables I saw upon arrival.

All in all, the question comes down to whether or not such heavy-handedness with garlic adds or detracts from Garlic Rose’s dishes. In my opinion, some plates clearly worked better than others. But there were also fundamental cooking missteps that had nothing to do with seasoning—and at $20 an entrée, I would have expected more finesse from the kitchen. Garlic Rose is nowhere near a bargain, no matter how much you like garlic. Perhaps that is why they offer a free, frequent diner’s club with member discounts and coupons throughout the year.

With all that said, I am a huge garlic fan and have actually been to Gilroy’s annual garlic festival. Garlic can definitely add layers of depth or brighten up a dish. It’s not about the garlic itself, but rather how one uses it. Unfortunately in the case of the Garlic Rose Bistro, less is probably more. The menu may say that vampires are welcome, but discriminating palates beware.

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Garlic Rose Bistro

41 Main Street, Madison

(973) 822-1178

Hours of Operation:

Lunch, Monday through Friday, 11:30 am-3 pm

Dinner, Monday through Thursday, 5-10 pm

Dinner, Friday and Saturday, 5-11 pm

Dinner, Sunday, 4-9 pm

BYO. Catering available.

All major credit cards accepted.