Dishes to Relish

There are many items on the menu at the Williamsburg stand-by, Relish, that I could eat everyday. The Tuna au Poivre served with grilled vegetables is always ever so slightly seared to a satisfying pink and accompanied by a charred medley of eggplant, fennel, and zucchini. The plate is drizzled with a rich but not heavy brown pepper sauce that never ends up leaving a single trace of existence after I’m finished eating. There’s the simple salad, which manages to awe, even though it is composed of the barest of components: greens, tomatoes, and a light vinaigrette. I start thinking about the Calamari a few days before I saddle up in one of the booths and find myself contemplating a return visit only a day or two after I’ve indulged. Cornmeal-crusted and served with a spicy, chunky tomato sauce, the appetizer comes with enough ringlets that it could easily make an entrée for most patrons.

But what I love most at Relish is something that I could not eat everyday. The onion rings, served in a shallow bowl as a side, appear in my dreams. I wake up salivating, thinking about them, even if I haven’t had them in weeks. They are cut thick and dipped in a spiced flour blend before getting dunked in the deep fryer. They arrive to the table piping hot in a shallow bowl, beckoning for everyone at the table to grab one fast. They are oily and slippery: just as they should be. Like the souped up diner décor, this is the most accurate culinary reflection of the theme, so to speak. This is diner food done with an awareness of the essence of the dish brought to the front and center of the experience. Imagining the perfect diner onion ring is fully realized in Relish’s version. A greasy, messy pile of crispy, fried batter encasing a slimy, oil-shocked onion is everything it should be in this rendition.

And that is why I dream about them. These are the onion rings of your wildest dreams. And so, to know that when I am craving something like this, I can find exactly it, my mouth waters with the thought of it.

I can’t eat them everyday, as the onion rings of a wild dream are no doubt heavy undertakings; however, every few weeks, when the timing is right, I’ll plunk down in the corner booth and peer out over a tower of bliss with a dreamy smile.