When I first started Sola Cepa, Julie VanVoorst (a former Russ' manager) repeatedly insisted that I review the onion rings at Russ', but only if she took me. After many long months, we were finally able to make it. We were also joined by her own clan of tall Dutchmen; Dale VanVoorst, Ryan VanVoorst, and Eric VanVoorst.
Presentation and Appearance: 4/5
The presentation is consistent with the Dutch roots of Russ'. Simple, with no pretension, and suitable for its purpose. In an appropriately sized green basket, layered with the standard paper. The appearance of the onion rings is thick, meaty, and demonstrably handmade, as evidenced by the bits and gnarls on the batter. They look immensely appetizing, homemade, and rustic.
However, the gnarly batter bits were a bit excessive (and the shaken off bits littered the bottom of the basket). The hand-crafted imperfections were appetizing, but at the same time, off-putting when taken to an extreme. In addition, the onion rings displayed clear signs of inconsistent fry time (some were overdone relative to others). While most were a delightful golden brown, some veered into darker (and overcooked) territory.
Taste: 4/5
Much like the food critic in Ratatouille, these onion rings evoke a fond nostalgia for my youth, surrounded by a largely homogeneous band of fellow Dutch in family, church, and school. The first bite brings not only memories, hidden deep within my mind, but also a delightful smooth and creamy taste. The batter is well seasoned, the grease level is not excessive (indeed, it's just about perfect for an onion ring), and the onion rings are truly addicting. Soft and smooth, they go down easy.
The onion interior is thick, well cut, and lightly sweated, releasing the crucial onion grease and juices necessary to make onion rings a success. Unfortunately, the sweet Spanish onions which make up the onion rings fail to deliver on a strong onion flavor. There was certainly an onion taste there, and what there was blended beautifully with the other components of the ring, but it was not as strong as I would have liked.
I would also make special note of the accompanying ranch dipping sauce. My insider source for all things Russ', Julie VanVoorst, mentioned "It is worth noting that Russ' makes its ranch from scratch." "But not the batter", retorted Dale. Nonetheless, the ranch was flavorful, with a good mixture of zest and soothing cream, and complemented the onion rings well.
Texture: 4.5/5
Like the taste of the onion rings, the texture was smooth and soft. The batter stayed on the onions perfectly. Even when I cracked the ring to dip into the ranch more effectively, there was no slippage, the batter did not disintegrate, and the integrity remained intact. The onion rings had more crisp than crunch, with a soft (but far from mushy!) onion and soft batter. They were a perfectly executed example of a soft and battered onion ring.
Well, almost perfect. The previously mentioned excessive bits of batter (which marred the otherwise perfect appearance of these fine rings), ebbed and oozed over the onion core, and often were crispier and more cooked than the rest of the batter. This unpleasant consistency was the only flaw on an otherwise terrific texture.
Value: 5/5
As might be expected from a Dutch restaurant, the onion rings were a terrific value. At a normal menu price of $3.99 ($2.49 with coupon, of course), they more than suffice as an appetizer for two. Between the five of us, we were barely able to finish two of the baskets. The quantity in each basket of rings was generous, and the quality was outstanding. I'm tempted to award bonus points in this category for just how good of a value they are (but I'm not, as that would ruin the integrity of the onion ring standard).
Total: 17.5/20
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