Garlic Fudge Sundaes? This Festival Offers a Taste of the Unusual

Garlic gourmets gleefully sampled delicacies ranging from spicy garlic dumplings to garlic fudge sundaes at the seventh annual West Hollywood Garlic Festival.

Despite the sweltering heat, more than 15,000 people feasted at the bulb-inspired buffet Sunday on San Vicente Boulevard, between Melrose Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard.

By all accounts, this was no ordinary food festival.

Throngs of festival-goers munched on garlic pretzels, garlic brownies and garlic potato chips as they patiently waited in long lines to taste made-to-order dishes such as gravlax (salmon) marinated in garlic and cold garlic shrimp remoulade--prepared by chefs from 40 California restaurants.

Chef Ken Frank from La Toque in West Hollywood said he was amazed by the turnout. “It really astounds me how many people love garlic,” said Frank, who prepared garlic mushroom salad and garlic soup, among other dishes.

Most festival-goers had only compliments for the chefs. “It’s great food,” said West Hollywood resident Siouhan Tierney. “It’s fun tasting food from restaurants you’ve seen but haven’t been able to get to.”

But a few garlic lovers said they found the food a bit bland. “I was ready for a great garlic experience,” jazz musician Bruce Radke said after biting into a crown of roasted garlic. “It didn’t taste like garlic, it tasted like egg pudding.”

The West Hollywood event, not to be confused with another garlic festival in the Central California town of Gilroy, was founded by Bruce and Katherine Veniero, owners of Nucleus Nuance restaurant, at the suggestion of Berkeley author John Harris, who has written several books about garlic, Katherine Veniero said. A portion of the festival proceeds are donated to the Los Angeles chapter of the American Red Cross, she said.

At one restaurant booth, workers were already dreaming up new recipes for next year’s festival.

“Maybe . . . we should try chocolate-covered garlic cloves,” said Joy Lesser, of Room Service Express, a West Hollywood catering company.

But the noonday heat took an edge off a co-worker’s enthusiasm. “Gross,” said Tom Goodwin.