Responce after a vist inspired by KOMO 1000's "Go Eat" review by Julien Perry . . .

"It was my distinct pleasure to partake in a lovely meal at the "Stinking Rose of Ballard" this past Saturday evening.  I read your review last week on Lombardi's, so my husband and I drove to Ballard to investigate, eager to consume the massive amounts of garlic awaiting us.  I must say that it was entirely well worth it.

We were quickly seated upstairs with a window view onto Market Street where one could witness a parade of Halloween characters.  Our waiter, Eric, promptly greeted us and began an account of the Garlic Festival.  Funny enough, his suggested dishes were exactly what we had scouted on the online menu.  A bottle of Riesling was presented and accepted as we began our adventure.

I was delighted by the arrival of our starter, the Angelica Della Morte.  True to its name, the fluffy creamy cheese with the common occurrence of garlic was simply to die for.  Even consuming the delicate cheese with bits of the sugar cone created an interesting play on ones palate.  Our entrees soon arrived, Goat Cheese and Roasted Onion Ravioli and the Dungeness and Garlic Stuffed Jumbo Prawns tantalizing us with the fabulous aroma of garlic done right.

The ravioli has a surprisingly smooth texture, the goat cheese and garlic making a statement of richness together.  I was very pleased to find that the arugula and walnut pesto did not drown the pasta as many other restaurateurs attempt to hide the poor quality of their pasta with a rich sauce.  The pesto was light with an appreciated slight bitter contrast against the creamy filling.

The prawns were amazing!  The garlic was well tempered by the crab meat and other accoutrements in the stuffing.  Every few bites you would experience a sing of garlic flavor that melded into the background.  The black linguine was like icing on the cake.  Red pepper flakes expertly seasoned the unique flavored noodles with a basting of white wine.  Again, the quality of the pasta shown through.

Our waiter, Eric, expertly steered us through this cuisine journey, very thoughtful with his comments and recommendations.  It was easy to see that he genuinely enjoys the opportunities the festival brings.  By the end of our meal, he made us feel like family referring to the upper space we occupied as the "living room".  We will certainly be asking to be in his section upon our return.

Unfortunately we had gorged ourselves so fully that we had no room for dessert . . . I guess we will have to go back next weekend!  As always, your recommendations on "Go Eat" never steer us wrong.  Mr. Perry, thank you for hunting out this gem of savory floss!

 Kim and Chris , October, 2005