Eaton Pub and Grille (Charlotte, MI)

This review is a radical departure from the norm for Sola Cepa. Today, for the first time, I'm reviewing something that is not an onion ring. "What!??," you cry out, "But this is Sola Cepa! How could you possibly review something that isn't an onion ring?"

Calm down, dear reader. Sola Cepa, after all, merely means "onion alone," not "onion RINGS alone." While onion rings are my bread and butter, there are other fried onion concoctions and variations, remarkably similar to an onion ring in all but shape, that can still be subjected to an onion (ring) standard.

That said, Sola Cepa's first review of onion petals, from the Eaton Pub and Grille, follows.

Presentation and Appearance: 3.5/5

Since I'm a busy man (ignoring the fact I devote hours of my life to reviewing onion rings,) I got these onion petals to go. As a result, the presentation isn't stellar. The petals (and the dipping sauce) are shoved into a box just barely big enough to fit them, unceremoniously heaped into a pile together.

The appearance of these onion petals is a departure from the norm (for onion rings, at least.) They resemble a classic pub style of breading and batter; irregular, varied, inconsistent, and not especially "pretty," which I don't think is a problem here.

Altogether, the petals look pretty appetizing, even if the to-go box presentation isn't the best.

Taste: 4/5

Once you get past the odd appearance, the onion petals are, essentially, just a slightly different onion ring. My first cautious bite revealed a bold onion flavor. Like many of the best onion rings, the onion was lightly sweated before being battered and fried, which helps bring out the onion flavor.

That first bite also revealed the oddly sticky taste of the petals, almost like a microscopic coating of syrup was poured over every petal. At the same time, my bites went through clean, with only the occasional slippage. In some ways, they reminded me of a zesty fry moreso than an onion ring.

Some grease was present, but it wasn't excessive. The batter itself wasn't tremendously well seasoned, but the accompanying zesty dipping sauce improved the taste dramatically, complementing the already present flavors of the onion.

Texture: 3/5

As already mentioned above, the onion petals were ever so slightly sticky. With the stickiness came a still satisfying crunch, but a bit of a softer one. It was more like eating a glazed piece of meat than a crunchy onion ring.

The breading bloomed well beyond the onion. Each of the onion pieces in the petals was probably bigger, and thicker, than the average onion ring, but it came with increase irregularity in size and shape. Moreover, the breading ballooned well beyond the onion. While the petals all seemed fairly big and thick from the outside, a lot of that size stemmed from a hollow corridor between the onion and the breading. In effect, you end up eating a lot of air with the petals.

The occasional slippage also detracted from the texture score, especially given the relatively small size of the petals compared to a standard onion ring.

Value: 2.5/5

This fairly large box of onion petals cost $6.99, a fearsome price. While they're fairly good quality in taste and texture, and massive in quantity, the steep price tag is a little daunting. In my opinion, it's worth two or three dollars less than what it costs.

Total: 13/20