I scream you scream we all scream for garlic! Fresh from the rich tradition of garlic-mad Korea, the aptly named Mad for Garlic is now officially open in Causeway Bay’s Times Square! With 38 locations across Korea since its launch in 2001, Mad for Garlic is one of the country’s most successful western restaurant chains serving a modern, chic Italian wine bistro experience (with a Korean twist) to proudly celebrate a love for mighty garlic!

Located in a striking contemporary interior, Mad for Garlic carries the rustic charm of an old-school tavern or a sophisticated European winery accented with playful garlic-based decorations. Mad for Garlic’s signature menu is based on a foundation of Italian classics, complete with Korean accents and paired with wines that complement the robust flavour of garlic. Using crops from the protected farm region of Changnyeong-gun – Korea’s largest and most famous producer of country-certified garlic – produce from these lands is hugely rich in flavour due to the region’s unique soil structure, resulting in a less spicy and pungent product.

Beloved across the world, garlic functions quietly in the background as a fundamental pillar of flavour but we at Mad for Garlic are not content with a limited role for these incredible little bulbs! We are all about paying daily tribute to garlic as the star of our kitchen, and you’ll experience this passion in every sumptuous and innovative dish. Garlic may be our superstar, but you’ll find that we are most concerned with balance and finding harmony between garlic and our other top-grade ingredients. However, make no mistake! We are truly mad about garlic.

Let’s begin with our version of an all-time classic! The Garlic Bread Tower ($48), with a generous 60 grams of garlic, features crisp French bread smothered with fresh garlic puree, baked to perfection, seasoned with paprika and finished with even more mashed garlic to serve. The Dracula Killer ($68), served in a specially designed platter, consists of garlic and anchovies drizzled in olive oil and baked to harmonize flavour and texture. This delectable spread is paired with French Garbo bread.

Garlic and starch go together like ice cream and apple pie, and Mad for Garlic doesn’t disappoint! The Garlic Snowing Pizza ($108) is a signature creation with a super-crispy pie base topped with prawns, pineapple and crunchy garlic chips and finished with a sprinkling of finely powdered Parmesan. The 6-Clove Gorgonzola Penne ($128) uses a delicate type of smaller garlic bulb that is not as spicy and pungent as regular garlic. Seasoned and roasted whole, these bulbs are squeezed out on a bed of sautéed penne with mushrooms and gorgonzola to finish. The Garlicholic Rice ($132) is a gorgeous treat that uses a special type of rice sautéed in garlic and butter, prepared and shipped from Mad for Garlic’s kitchen in Korea. Stir-fried with diced green peppers, red peppers and pickled garlic marinated in sugar and vinegar, it’s one of the more appetizing dishes on our menu.

Steak lovers will not want to miss our selection of garlic-laden cuts! Garlic Hug Steak ($223) is pure satisfaction, featuring a premium cut of Australian tenderloin filled with garlic cream sauce. And finally we come to Garlic Steak ($188), a dish name that speaks for itself! It’s a hugely alluring sight for garlic fans: picture a beautiful cut of Australian Ribeye grilled to perfection then topped with a mountain of sautéed garlic and even more fresh garlic chips. To wash it all down, we recommend one of our signature desserts including Garlic Berry & Ice Cream ($62)! Our homemade Mad for Garlic ice cream is served with garlic jelly, made from syrup-marinated garlic to tame the spice, paired with a fresh raspberry and blueberry compote and finished with a sprinkling of bean powder.

Wine-wise, Mad for Garlic has a fond appreciation for vino and is designed to feel like a plush wine cellar, perfect for unwinding after a long week. The wine list has been assembled to address the issue of wines paired with garlic flavours, starting with provenance and research into each bottle we serve. With an approachable and affordable list perfect for beginners and connoisseurs alike, you’ll find garlic-friendly bottles from across the world! Mad for Garlic has also produced five private label vintages, and the Hong Kong location will serve one of these bottles in the form of the Italian Montefalco Rosso ($278 per bottle, $68 per glass).

Korea has enjoyed a love for garlic unlike any other country, and even the country’s mythology and foundations are rooted in garlic lore! As the Legend of Dangun has it, a bear and a tiger prayed to the gods for a human transformation and were rewarded with an opportunity to prove their worth: given 20 cloves of garlic and some mugwort, the bear and the tiger were told to stay out of sunlight for 100 days while eating nothing but this sacred food. This proved too tall a task for the tiger, but the bear endured and was transformed into a human woman as reward for its dedication. She married a lord of heaven, their child went on to establish the first Korean state, and the national holiday of Gaecheonjeol (National Foundation Day) remains a beloved annual celebration throughout Korea.

Mad for Garlic is now open and set to rock the culinary landscape with a healthy and delectable love for garlic in every corner! The home of garlic-laden tributes await you in Causeway Bay!

Mad for Garlic
Address: Shop 1104,
Food Forum,
Times Square,
Causeway Bay,
Hong Kong
Tel: 3752 2880

Opening hours: 11am-11pm

Facebook: Mad for Garlic HK