Fried Fennel at Thistle Hill Tavern

owner David Massoni once told me that the restaurant’s fried fennel is like a “grown up onion ring.”

No offense to Massoni (or onion rings, for that matter), but the fried fennel at this Seventh Avenue and 15th street eatery is so much more than that.

For this tempting bite, rings of fennel get deep fried in a light, tempura-like batter. Fried, the fennel is meaty and savory, the licorice-y flavor mellowing to a point where even ardent licorice haters like myself might appreciate it. The batter itself is oh-so-light, and not so greasy so as to dissuade enjoying these babies as a finger food. Served with a squeeze of lemon, it’s a heavy food that somehow avoids being heavy.

The dish is perfect as the start to a meal at Thistle Hill, or a bar snack to accompany one of barman John Bush’s.

And it’s much more enjoyable than the good ol’ onion ring on pretty much every level—it’s more flavorful, more interesting, lighter, and (most importantly) you won’t continuously battle the onion as it attempts to slide out of its crispy-fried casing.