Count Dracula would not like this restaurant, apart from, perhaps, its tavern-like rustic setting. If you’re a garlic lover, though, you may adore it. Mad For Garlic at Times Square serves Italian cuisine with Korean accents and the dishes, of course, are all about the pungent bulb.
With our breath freshener at the ready, we start our garlic feast. We first order a garlic bread tower ($48) but it’s a bit of a letdown. Expecting a meter-long baguette mountain, we get more of a miniature loafy hill. It is a crispy baguette and it has been baked and it is filled with fresh garlic purée and there is paprika peppered on top but it’s nothing outstanding and disappears way too quick for $48. On to the mains, however, and the grilled chicken and mushroom risotto ($108) is better. The chicken pieces are topped with bacon bites, slices of garlic and cheese, which creates a symphony of flavours but, sadly, the meat itself is a little dry and the risotto could do with being creamier. This could have been a stellar dish but we nevertheless enjoy it. Fortunately, the ‘garlic foryou steak’ ($208) shows off the pungent bulb’s prowess. The 150g Australian tenderloin is cooked to perfection and is served with a whole preserved garlic on top. The dish is comforting and comes with a sweet jus that helps tie up the garlicky and beefy flavours really well. We especially like the preserved garlic itself, which is soft, sweet and full of flavour but doesn’t give off a heavy smell.
This restaurant has a strong theme for its food and should attract bulb lovers from across the world. But we fail to find the wow factor here. The dining atmosphere is perfect for intimate dates but don’t expect a taste extravaganza. Either way, though, remember that breath freshener.