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2010-07-16
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The name of the restaurant says it all - a garlic themed restaurant set to satisfy your every garlic craving! For a garlic lover like me, that’s a very enticing promise indeed.Now, the signboard may say “Italian Wine Bistro”, but take it with a pinch of salt. The restaurant originates from Korea, and if anything it is a Korean take on Italian rather then the authentic thing itself. The interior’s largely dark grey and almost gothic looking – it’s hard not to associate the place with vampires, wh
Now, the signboard may say “Italian Wine Bistro”, but take it with a pinch of salt. The restaurant originates from Korea, and if anything it is a Korean take on Italian rather then the authentic thing itself. The interior’s largely dark grey and almost gothic looking – it’s hard not to associate the place with vampires, what with the garlic and the almost dungeon-like interior. Racks of wine line the walls of the restaurant. Wine, garlic, Italian food and Korea – how very odd a mix!
The partner’s Garlicpeno Pasta ($13.80) is a simple dish of pasta with garlic, mexican pepper and chillies. It came with a three-chilli hotness rating on the menu and they mean it – I just tried a bit and found it very spicy! I have no idea how she finishes a plate of it but she apparently loves it and orders it time and again.
My Fresh Shrimp and Garlic Sprout Pasta ($16.90) was much less spicy, so I could appreciate the garlic flavour better. They’re not joking about the garlic – sauteed bits of garlic are everywhere. It got to the point where I had finished my pasta and I still had a spoonful of garlic left on my plate! That’s a good thing – for a place that dares to call itself “Mad for Garlic”, I expect nothing less. I throughly enjoyed the pasta, from the firm spaghetti (such a delight, especially after experiences with Asian/Japanese/Korean “pasta” being way too overcooked) to the fresh prawns and of course, to the heaps of garlic tossed throughout the dish. Very aromatic, and none of that zing from undercooked/raw garlic. Very, very addictive.
There’s a ton of other interesting sounding items too – from the Anchovy Garlic Cream Fondue to the Garlic Snowing Pasta, and I’m waiting for my next visit to try them. We were served by a trainee waiter, and there were some stumbles along the way, but the sincerity was unmistakable, so all was good.
I don’t know whether bringing a date here is a good idea, but hey, why not? I figure, if both of you smell like garlic, who is to know the better? ;)
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