Five of the Best Garlic Dishes in S.F.

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The Stinking Rose's Bagna Calda.

This weekend's Gilroy Garlic Festival will bring out thousands of brave bulb eaters. But if you can't make the hour-plus drive down, you can eat in smelly sympathy right here in town.

1. Bagna Calda at the Stinking Rose (325 Columbus at Vallejo)

Many of the dishes at this garlic-focused restaurant seem designed for shock value rather than good taste, but the Stinking Rose's time-honored roasted garlic, oil, and anchovy appetizer is right on the money.

2. Garlic noodles at Thanh Long (4101 Judah at 46th Ave.)

The most popular accompaniment to the restaurant's signature roasted garlic crab, this sweet and pungent pasta is so addictive, we're not entirely sure the An family doesn't sprinkle crack in it.

Sakhoo Saimu at Basil Canteen.

3. Sakhoo Saimu at Basil Canteen (1489 Folsom at 11th St.)

Not for the tapioca-squeamish, these genius Thai dumplings use kassava root to encase a delicately sweet combo of pork and fried garlic in a dish that seems wonderfully conflicted between appetizer and dessert.

4. Sopa de Ajo at Picaro (3120 16th St. at Valencia)

This Castilian soup recipe is warm, bready comfort in a bowl, not to mention being one of the most lingering garlic dishes in town.

5. Gilroy Garlic Fries at AT&T Park (24 Willie Mays Plaza at Third St.)

While these can be inconsistent, depending even on where in the ballpark you purchase 'em (and, possibly, how the Giants are playing that day), they've still got home run potential.