Showing posts with label beer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label beer. Show all posts

Monday, July 03, 2017

French Fry Diary 739: Whataburger


After over a decade of French Fry Diary, and literally over a hundred requests and recommendations for Whataburger, certainly the chain is on my French Fry bucket list. So when we made the move from New Jersey to Florida, and Jacksonville was on our route, we definitely had to stop at the Whataburger there and try it out.

Whataburger was started in 1950 by entrepreneur Harmon Dobson, whose idea "to serve a burger so big that it took two hands to hold, and so good that after a single bite customers couldn't help but exclaim, "What a burger!"" Starting in Corpus Christi, TX, the chain expanded to nearly 800 restaurants across the country, mostly in the south, but pretty much except for the northeast where I formerly resided.

The GPS was a bit wonky finding Jacksonville's Whataburger, but eventually our caravan found it. Besides The Bride and myself, we also had along friends David and Johnny, who were helping us drive our cars to our new home in Florida. Snowy the cat sat in his box in the car while we had burgers and fries, but don't worry, the windows were inched open, and I brought him some burger afterward to munch on. Snowy is a tough bruiser of a cat, and well loved and cared for - if he ate fries, I would have gotten him those too.

We ordered - burgers, fries, and onion rings - and got a number for the table just like Chick-fil-A also does these days. We got our sodas (Coca-Cola products) and they brought our food to us. I got a plain burger as I usually do, and was impressed that there were code words - 'plain and dry' - for the special order. Places where there are such names (like off the grill for Krystal, natural for Red Robin, or plain jane at the old Burger Chef, etc.) have lesser chance of screwing it up, which I like. The burger was also quite big, and very good. I was impressed.

The fries were shoestrings similar to McDonald's with a good crisp to them. They came in standard paper sleeves, and if you 'Whatasized' your meal, you got a box similar to a popcorn box full of fries. The onion rings looked beer battered, but they probably weren't - sweet but a little greasy, but not as greasy as they looked. I wanted to try the root beer milkshake they were advertising, but I was too full.

I suppose we could go back, but Jacksonville is far enough away at this point to warrant an airplane flight so maybe not. At least I got there once, but if it was closer, I'd definitely go more often. And I get to cross Whataburger off my bucket list now.

Tuesday, September 08, 2015

Random Tater Pic of the Day #218



These onion rings from Ott's in Medford had a subtle beer batter seasoning, not bad... and the customer service has been top notch every time we've been in since that first encounter, so thumbs up to Ott's.

Friday, August 28, 2015

French Fry Diary 688: Oscar's Alehouse


On a recent trip to Maryland to chill with the in-laws and see my nephew blow everyone else off the stage in "Mary Poppins," the bro-in-law took us to a very cool place called Oscar's Alehouse in Eldersburg.

According to the bro-in-law, this nice restaurant/low key sports bar is the best place in the area for craft beer, which was not exactly in my wheelhouse, but when he recommended the burgers and onion rings, I was on board. Our server and the staff were very friendly, and not just because the bro is a regular, because I watched as everyone is the restaurant got the same treatment. If I was a resident to the area, I think I might be a regular too, just based on that.

I ordered the Naked Burger (code for plain with nothing on it, my usual preference), with the recommended onion rings, while The Bride got fries with her meal so my bases were covered. I should add that despite my ordering my usual pub fare, Oscar's actually has a pretty varied selection on their menu, including specialty pizzas, salads, and entrees, most highly recommended. This is not your average pub, their menu takes it up a notch.

The burger was perfect and juicy, possibly the best I've had in quite a while. The French fries were golden brown natural cuts, soft and hot on the inside with just the right amount of crunch on the outside - very good, but the onion rings were the kicker. First, they used purple onions, tossed in a batter of just flour, salt, and pepper, and deep-fried. Simple, but great, I loved them. The smooth spicy batter was crunchy and awesome. Best onion rings I've had in some time.

Thanks to the brother-in-law for an excellent recommendation, and I can't wait to visit again so I can return to Oscar's. This was a terrific meal and a great time, two thumbs up.

Monday, August 10, 2015

French Fry Diary 683: The Tot Cart


While I'm very close to the city of Philadelphia, I don't get into the city all that much, so there's a whole world of food - specifically the favorite fried food - that I don't get to talk about all that often. I'm talking about food trucks and carts. Unfortunately for the most part they are a city thing, but every once in a while, one will amble over t this side of the bridge.

National Night Out is one of those times. As part of the event, the powers-that-be tried to get everyone to go to what's left of the Echelon Mall, or as they like to call it, Voorhees Town Center. Face-painting, an outside viewing of Cars, and a variety of food carts and trucks were part of the bait. The food cart in question was The Tot Cart. Their motto is "Gourmet Tots, Straight to You" Come on, how could I resist?

In what is already a flustercluck in parking at the best of times, the powers-that-be made parking into a nightmare by blocking off most of what is usually an empty lot. Is it any wonder the Echelon Mall no longer exists? Malls aren't passé, but inept mall management is. Enough about what used to be a viable mall, we're here for the favorite fried food, in this case, tater tots.

I was joined by friend, fellow South Jersey Writer, and sometimes FFD contributor, Sarah Hawkins-Miduski. She had visited The Tot Cart before at another location, and had been impressed. Sadly that was not the case this night.

The signboard in front of the truck offered such goodies as Boardwalk Tots, Drunk Tots, New Bay Tots, Half-Loaded Tots, and Cowgirl Tots, all under the banner of Gourmet Tater Tots. Lots of promise here, most including The Tot Cart's famous Drunk Cheese. I ordered the Just Tots with the Drunk Cheese on the side, while Sarah got an order of the Half-Loaded Tots. We were prepared for the best, but should have done the opposite.

I had asked if the tater tots were made from scratch, and although the woman in the cart seemed pretty well versed in the making of tots from scratch, she admitted that these were frozen Ore-Ida Tater Tots. I was shocked, and sadly, they tasted like the worst deep-fried frozen tater tots you could imagine. Add in that I suspected they had been cooked quite some time before our arrival, these were pretty bad tots, a solid disappointment.

I did like the Drunk Cheese however, a secret beer cheese, or so they say. The cheese had a thick deep flavor, very tasty and would have gone well with fresh tots, had they been available. This added frustration made me less happy. Sarah was not as unhappy but admitted her previous experience was much better, and she wished she'd had those tots. She also thought the bacon, which was a bit too salty, didn't add much to her tots. It wasn't all bad, we talked about upcoming Disney trips as Sarah is a regular listener of The Make Mine Magic Podcast

I was very excited about this outing, and wished the tots had been better. I hope to sample them again at another time, when circumstances might be different, but as for now, I really can't recommend The Tot Cart, sorry.

Wednesday, July 08, 2015

French Fry Diary 676: McCain Craft Beer Battered Potatoes


I'm not a beer drinker, never have been. I'm not fond of beer battered onion rings or battered French fries either. So know that when I picked up this package of McCain Craft Beer Battered Potatoes, Thin Cut style, I did it for you folks. I'm trying these so you won't have to.

McCain maintains these frozen battered shoestring fries are real potatoes with no artificial colors or flavors, and made with the finest quality American pale ale. I was impressed that the fries were shoestrings as you don't usually find that style battered often. Burger King notably tried it for a while, and they were terrible.

The directions are a bit off, so you may want to keep your eyes on these fries as they cook, as they crisp up pretty quick. Watch them. The fries are pretty long, some seven or eight inches long. The batter adds a nice crisp and I didn't actually taste the 'craft beer' flavor, at first at least. After eating a half-dozen fries, I began to get it cumulatively, but not offensively.

I didn't expect to like these, but I really did. Thumbs up.

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

French Fry Diary 669: Tony Luke's Onion Rings


On a trip to the Borgata in Atlantic City some time ago, we visited The Cafeteria, basically a big food court in the bottom of the casino. While I was munching down on Fatburger (yum, I will post a proper review someday), The Bride went to Tony Luke's.

She got the prerequisite cheesesteak, and as part of the meal deal, she got a drink and fries. The Bride said that the battered natural cut fries didn't look so great, so she got onion rings instead. As you can see from the picture, they didn't look all that great either.

After a couple bites of these greasy looking beer battered babies, they didn't taste that great either. Nobody really wanted them and we ended up throwing them out. For the record though, the cheesesteak was great, but stay away from those rings.

Now this isn't anything against Tony Luke's. We've been there before, and love the cheesesteaks, but the onion rings are iffy at best - perhaps they should concentrate on what they're good at.

Monday, March 16, 2015

French Fry Diary 654: Guinness Potato Chips


My friend Taryn had hipped me to this on the Facebook just a few days before I saw them in a store and picked them up. What are we talking about? Beer flavored potato chips, or more specifically Guinness/Burt's Thick Cut Potato Chips Hand Cooked With Care.

I picked them up at the English Gardener Gift Shop, right across the street from the British Chip Shop in Haddonfield NJ, along with other wonderful stuff from across the pond like fudge, boxty, and The Bride's favorite, Ribena. Seriously, when you go to the Chip Shop, don't forget to cross the street afterward.

The chips themselves comes in two flavors, Guinness and Guinness Rich Beef Chili. I got the first one. The second seems a little scary, even for Do Us A Flavor. And just for the record, the Guinness flavor isn't beer or even alcoholic, but a unique blend of roasted barley and hops. Honestly I'm not fond of either, but some folks might dig it.

Monday, January 20, 2014

French Fry Diary 554: Donkey's Onion Rings


Folks who read my first review of Donkey's Place knows I loved it. On my second visit, I got their huge unique cheesesteak with Whiz, plus an order of their onion rings so I could write about them here.

Wow. Like the sandwiches and the order of fries we got last time, they were huge. Big deep fried thick beer battered onion rings in an equally gigantic cup. The cup was roughly the size of a Super Big Gulp at 7-Eleven. Wow.

The sandwich was just as fantastic as the first time, and better with the Whiz, and the rings were among the best beer batter I've had in quite a while. Another terrific meal, I can't wait to go back!

Monday, September 30, 2013

French Fry Diary 524: Keg & Kitchen


As we had already been disappointed once that week by A Battered Tartan, so The Bride and I had to find another place to have our actual anniversary dinner. She had received a gift card from a place in Westmont called Keg & Kitchen (or alternatively, Keg N Kitchen), so we were off.

On the edge of the Collingswood restaurant district, and with very little parking out front (there is a backlot), Keg & Kitchen has a very nice pub feel. There is large variety of beers and flatbreads and cheeses, as well as the standard pub fare. Be warned however, this place is very dark. I'm guessing the money meant for the electric bill went toward maintaining the big blackboard of breads and cheeses.

Remembering a very good ground chuck hamburger I had at P.J. Whelihans recently, I ordered a similar burger here, which came with, of course French fries. The burger was very good, juicy and tasty, and the caramelized onions on top completed a great meal. We drank our sodas out of canning jars, which would have been cooler had they been larger. Jars are fun as long as they hold enough.

The fries were natural cut skinny regular cuts, not quite shoestrings but thinner than usual. Unfortunately they were more than a little burnt. This was disappointing because I think these could have been pretty good had they not been so overdone.

We might come back someday if we have another gift card, and we bring flashlights, and they don't ruin the fries. Seriously though, it was the company that counted, not the food.

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

French Fry Diary 493: Cool Dog Cafe Onion Rings


After seeing onion rings and crisps featured as part of various special hot dogs and sliders at Cool Dog Café, I was pleased to see on my most recent visit to my favorite dog place, that the onion rings had officially been added to the ever-growing and changing menu. What a pleasant surprise.

We of course ordered them to see if they were as good as the other excellent fries products Cool Dog has. So along with the always-delicious hot dogs, and an order of fresh cut fries to split between The Bride, her mom, and myself, we also got an order of the onion rings.

Like everything Ira and Shawn do at the Cool Dog Cafe, they take the everyday, in this case beer battered onion rings, and they turn it into something special. These big thin golden brown rings are a great complement to any entree at Cool Dog (like the Texas Ranger, the Carolina Crusader, the Homewrecker, or make your own dog), sweet and crispy, and unlike most onion rings, not greasy at all.

Highly recommended. My only complaint? That we didn't get more. Get over to Cool Dog and try the onion rings, that's an order. And don't forget to follow them on Twitter and Like them on Facebook so you can see what new specials they have.

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

French Fry Diary 492: Perkins Restaurant & Bakery


Flashing back to a few months ago when my friend Ken came into town for a few days, here is yet another Ken entry. As I've mentioned before, not many of my friends are non-health-conscious enough to go on FFD excursions with me, so these trips are usually rare or done solo. Ken, while on vacation, is unofficially also off diet, but don't tell his wife that, wink wink.

We had one lazy day where we both slept in and then worked for most of the afternoon, he telecommuting and me writing at my desk. Around three Ken decided he wanted breakfast. Breakfast at three in the afternoon. If that's not a screaming definition of 'on vacation,' I don't know what is. We went off in search of breakfast.

I had an errand to run up in the Moorestown area so we were in the neighborhood and decided on Perkins. Perkins Restaurant & Bakery is IHoP's biggest competitor in the we-do-mostly-breakfast-but-we-really-want-to-be-Fridays-or-Applebees business, and I had never been there before, so it seemed like a worthwhile place to go. I knew they had to have potato products of some kind.

We were served very quickly, mostly because it didn't really appear to be anyone else in the restaurant. It should be noted that the service was also very courteous and friendly, as well as very welcome and refreshing compared to how Ken and I had been treated earlier in his trip.

Everything on the menu looks good, everything. It looks delicious, water watering, and stomach growlingly tasty. But it's like a rearview mirror, some things look a bit different than they really are. The onion rings for instance, are very different from the only onion ring-like item on the menu. What I wanted was the crunchy little Onion Tanglers they put on their burgers. What I got was big old greasy beer battered onion rings, I was not happy.

I did not try the fries, which were regular natural cuts. They also had standard shredded hash browns, but I opted for the breakfast potatoes instead, another decision based on the pictures in the menu. They looked glistening and hot, but what I got was big chunks of potato with a very crunchy outer skin, almost like batter fries. They came in a large portion, most of which I took home. For the record they also have standard shredded hash browns as a breakfast option.

Lesson learned, know the menu, and know the difference between the picture in the menu and what really comes to the table. Also, either bring a big appetite, or a big doggy bag, because the portions are huge. We'll be back again, maybe this time more prepared.

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

French Fry Diary 465: Coney Island 2013


First off, this place is open, despite what FourSquare or Yelp may say, as of January 2013, Coney Island is most definitely open. Consider the sign from Clerks up in their window.

This time, I got the cheese fries, which is to say, the same great fries we got last time, but with a couple generous ladles of hot orange cheese on top. It's the kind of cheese that's perfect on a Philly cheesesteak. Very tasty.

I also got onion rings to see if they would be as good as the fries were last time (and this). I was not disappointed. They were made fresh, beer battered, and deep fried. They were very good hot, but as they cooled, not so much.

The hot dogs, and the price for a filling lunch, were still very good. I still have all high marks for Coney Island, I will definitely come back if it's possible.

Friday, February 15, 2013

Bobby Deen's Fish and Chips


"Not My Mama's Meals" is an intriguing concept for a Food Network/Cooking Channel program. It's got Bobby Deen, Paula Deen's son, turning out healthier spins on his mother's recipes. So, leaner, lighter, with all the flavor, and not sooo much butter.

In the second season episode, "Boys' Night," Bobby tries his hand at his momma's over 900 calorie fish and chips, bringing it down to roughly 300. Quite a challenge. His secret - he's using sweet potatoes, and he's baking them.

Check out the recipe here. Enjoy!

Thursday, December 06, 2012

French Fry Diary 445: Coney Island


On a recent road trip with The Bride, we stopped at Coney Island in Pottsville, PA. It was just one of those places that just call to you from the road. You know when you cruise through an unfamiliar small town, that this is the place you must stop and have lunch. Yeah, it's like that.

There was a giant sign both by the road and on the building itself proclaiming Coney Island outside but inside it was just all cozy little hometown diner. Just a few tables, a counter, and a TV up in the corner, and on the other side some more tables - maybe they were expanding. We sat in the cozy side. They also sold lots of local beers, and lottery tickets at another counter just a few feet away from us. Wow, I loved it.

We ordered at the counter and sat down, our food came out almost immediately. I got a great but simple hot dog, good snap and flavor. The Bride also got a dog and some deep-fried cheesy veggie things. The latter was the most expensive thing we got, and I don't think it cost more than two bucks.

You know I also got French fries, right? The fries were big thick natural regular cuts, battered in seasoning, and deep-fried. They were a little greasy, but with a good crunch to them. No complaints, an almost perfect fry - crisp shell, hot and soft and potato-ey inside. We both cleaned our plates like champs. Yeah, that good.

The best part? We got a pretty full meal, good portions, and it was crazy inexpensive. This place was an all ways winner. If you ever get out to Pottsville in the Poconos, definitely stop at The Coney Island. Recommended.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

French Fry Diary 421: Jake's Wayback Burgers


This place has been on my to do list for quite some time. The location I had heard about and gotten so many recommendations for was over the bridge in Philly though, on Cottman Avenue, across from the old Roosevelt Mall (there used to be a Gulliver's there that I absolutely loved), so it would take some planning for a road trip. Imagine my surprise when after getting my haircut I found a Jake's Wayback Burgers had opened right store on Route 73 in Voorhees.

The first thing that struck me about Jake's Wayback Burgers was how much like Five Guys the layout of the place was. Granted, the music was more oldies, the menu was bigger, no peanuts, and (boo hiss) they had Pepsi products instead of Coke, - but other than all that, this could have easily been a refurbished Five Guys. The burgers are cooked well done on the griddle however, just like Five Guys, and are very similar except for their bigger size and the softer non-sesame seed bun.

The burgers are wrapped in brown wax paper, printed to look like newspaper but detailing the chain's history, restaurant reviews, and the different burgers they have available. The various sides are also served on and/or in this brown wax paper. It's a nice touch, reminiscent of when fish and chips were wrapped in newspaper. I like it.

Their fries also have something in common with Five Guys, but they're not as good as theirs. They are natural cuts, cooked to order. They're nothing spectacular - not great, not bad, and remember to eat 'em while they're hot. They are also a bit saltier than I would have liked. They do reheat well in the oven later however.

Besides fries as sides, Jake's Wayback Burgers also has onion rings and house made chips. The big deal here is the house made chips, nearly perfect homemade potato chips, not greasy and full of a big crispy crunch. I would have preferred myself a bit more flesh on them, but then they'd be more potato slices than potato chips in that case. These are all crunchy potato chip goodness, and better than any bag of store made chips you can buy. These chips are awesome.

Folks who know me and have been following the blog a while know I'm not fond of beer batter onion rings, but here at Jake's I may have found the exception. These big beer battered onion rings might look greasy but they are not. These big (but not thick) rings are deep-fried to a golden brown crispness with a juicy sweet onion within. They're delicious.

On the second visit, yep, that's right, I went back, the onion rings and the house made potato chips were even better.

So, if you like Five Guys or not, come on out and try Jake's Wayback Burgers. The burgers are good, and the onion rings and the house made potato chips are awesome. The big thick shakes are also highly recommended. Check it out.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

French Fry Diary 359: Alexia Beer Battered Onion Rings

Now, other than Mrs. Paul's Onion Rings which I just can't find in the frozen grocery section anywhere any more, Alexia makes the best frozen onion rings. They have a panko breading that makes for a perfect crunch. But these aren't either of them, and I'm also not fond of beer batter. That's not good when I haven't even opened the box yet.

Like many potato chips I've reviewed, these rings have a whole bunch o' names. Officially they are "All Natural Alexia Gourmet Quality Crispy Beer Battered Onion Rings with Sea Salt." They also have a number of other adjective-like phrases on the box as well like "made from real Spanish onions" and "craft beer battered." I'm out of breath, and I'm only typing this stuff.

Well, the good news is that they have zero transfats. Tastewise, they are still beer battered onion rings. They are thinner than most however and that equal crispiness. I tried them deep-fried and baked, and other than the former being greasier, there wasn't much difference. They are better than most, and even better with barbecue sauce or sprinkled with seasoned salt or paprika.

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Saturday, October 29, 2011

French Fry Diary 293: Bill's Bar & Burger, Harrah's, Atlantic City

I was intrigued when I heard that this place, Bill's Bar & Burger, was coming to Harrah's in Atlantic City. BB&B actually has a pretty interesting reputation up in New York, and I was looking forward to trying out their burgers, and especially their fries. Until, of course, I found out that that it would be replacing The Deli.

The Deli was a place I could almost twenty-four hours a day while The Bride was playing the slots. I could go, and get some lunch (or whatever meal), hang out, and write. If I got fries, it would come in an over-generous portion of terrific hot steak fries, less if I got a hot dog with it, even though I'd be charged the same price. It was a good deal, and a good place - and good fries. The Deli will be missed. But I'm open-minded, I'll give Bill a shot.

I hate to say it, but at first glance, I was unimpressed. Indicative of a restaurant in a casino, it looks nice but the food is not so hot, and crazy expensive - more expensive than The Deli. For example, the six-dollar milkshake came in a cup slightly bigger than a McDonald's small soft drink. And the sodas (notably all Pepsi products, rather than Coca-Cola) in the same size cup cost four dollars.

I ordered a burger (come on, guys, what else would I order?), and it was very good, very juicy on a soft sesame seed bun. All burgers come cooked medium, but you can get them done more if you desire. I'm not a big fan of rare, but it does kinda bug me when it's not an option. I understand not wanting to make anyone sick, but to me that sorta reflects a distrust of the cook by management, don't you think? Anyway, the burger was pricey, but definitely worth that price, and worth coming back for, I thought.

The fries however, were another story, and it should be noted that they came separate from the burger, not with it, an unusual practice. They were undercooked natural cut spicy potato wedges, some of them thinner than usual, but unusually not crispy. They were good, soft and hot on the inside, but without the crispy crunch most potato wedges have. They also came with cheddar whiz cheese, or as disco fries, but I didn't try them.

They weren't horrible, I ate them and enjoyed them, but didn't finish them. They were however disappointing, especially when compared to the gigantic portion size The Deli would have provided, and I would have eaten all of those delicious steak fries. Bill's also has beer battered onion rings, which were typical of beer battered - greasy. Sweet potato fries were also available as well, maybe next time, when I get another burger.

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Thursday, August 04, 2011

Random Tater Pic of the Day #12


Guess what this is.

Oh yeah, it's something so yummy, so decadent, so nutritionally nasty, that just looking at this will make any Health Nazi have a coronary on sight. This is beer-battered deep-fried bacon, with, oh yeah, fries.

The Bride found this on the DIS Unplugged Message Forums, mmmm... bacon... and fries...

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Tuesday, July 26, 2011

French Fry Diary 249: Iron Hill Brewery, Maple Shade NJ

The Bride and I are always looking for new places to go to dinner with the in-laws, and if they have fries, it's a bonus for me, and indirectly for you folks too. After trying to get over there for the two years the Iron Hill Brewery had been open in the Moorestown/Maple Shade area, I was finally able to convince them to go. This restaurant is a very big place, and as advertised has a working brewery on site. All the beers and even root beers are brewed there, and it was also promised, the food was made to order from scratch as well. I was looking forward to this.

First off, the customer service was excellent, and our waitress Jessica was just wonderful, friendly and accurate. Her care and attention actually reminded the four of us of the Disney Cruise. I decided to live dangerously as a catastrophically picky eater and get the burger. With an upcoming return cruise already on our minds, I can't help but compare this delicious burger to the ones I got at lunch on board.

The presentation of all of meals brought on a further comparison to the Disney Cruise. The Iron Hill Brewery knows what they are doing, as far as making the food look great. Mom-in-law got baked fingerling potatoes with her steak, and The Bride had an egg roll sampler that came with a salad splash that included little matchstick fries. The fries that came with my burger however, not so great. They were deep fried natural cut regular cuts that were nothing spectacular, and quite frankly probably not made to order, unless it was some time ago.

That said, it was a delicious meal and we would definitely come back. It was topped off with a fantastic root beer float for dessert. Maybe next time I will give the onion rings and the sweet potato fries a try. While the fries were only okay, the restaurant is definitely recommended.

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Thursday, July 14, 2011

French Fry Diary 244: Trader Joe's Beer Battered Vidalia Sweet Onion Rings

I picked these up at the same time I got the Handsome Cut Potato Fries, also a new product, I was intrigued by the combination. I'm not a fan of beer battered onion rings, but I love rings made with sweet Vidalia onions, so I had to give it a try.

On the bag for the Trader Joe's Beer Battered Vidalia Sweet Onion Rings, a lot is made about how it's all about the sweetness of the Vidalia onions, and the beer batter. Of the latter, the batter (loving the rhyme) is described as light and airy with just the right amount of crispness. Let's just say Trader Joe's is really proud of these babies.

They looked like standard beer batter rings to me when I was preparing them, so I covered my bets and hit them with some Billy Bee Honey BBQ Seasoning - great for onion rings or Nathan's frozen grocery fries or just any fries at all. I hoped they wouldn't need it. And they're very big rings of onion, as is the way of the Vidalia.

I cooked 'em up in the oven and made them a little bit crispy crunchy because that's how I like my onion rings. The sweet Vidalia comes out but I'm glad I used the seasoning as it covers up the beer batter. Not good, I would rather have panko bread crumbs instead.

I enjoyed them but unlike the Trader Joe's Handsome Cut Potato Fries I doubt I'll get these again. However if you like beer batter rings, maybe these are for you.

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