Bigg's BBQ, Lawrence, KS

Restaurant: Bigg's BBQ

Location: 2429 Iowa, Lawrence, KS

Number and Size of Rings: 12 HUGE towering delights
Cost: $7.49 and worth every penny
A trip to Lawrence, Kansas is a mere 4 hour drive from the onion ring capitol of the world (Tulsa). After our fellow onion ring lovers, Tom and Erin, took us to Bigg's BBQ in their town, I have decided to adopt Bigg's BBQ into the onion ring hall of fame. These folks not only have a great huge tower of onion rings that are perfect and huge and delicious, but they also have an onion brick. How many places do you know that have onion rings done two ways on one menu? Well, we only got the regular onion rings, which were served in a tower with a trio of dipping sauces built into the base (ranch, thousand, and chili). We will have to drive the four hours back again to try the brick another day. Hopefully, my camera will cooperate better next time, but, you get the idea of their magnitude. They also have chocolate covered bacon for dessert. I'm not sure how I feel about the chocolate covered bacon, but the onion rings are a powerful force in the fried food world!(Aren't Tom and Erin cute with that chocolate covered bacon?)

Ted's Montana Grill, Kansas City

Restaurant: Ted's Montana Grill

Location: 1713 Village West Pkwy, Kansas City, KS

Number and Size of Rings: 10 rings
Cost: $6.00

These are called "Salt and Pepper" onion rings, but in my book they are fresh and delicious, almost like homemade. I don't think they actually have any more salt or pepper than any other onion ring I've had, but they had a great texture and crunch that makes me think they used a three-step process for breading them (flour, egg, breadcrumbs). I LOVE onion rings that are freshly made, not from a bag. I also love the conservation-minded restaurant concept of Ted's and their paper straws, etc. And any restaurant that will let you use buffalo on any sandwich on the menu is a winner. Above is the picture from the restaurant website. Below is the night vision picture I took with my cell phone when I ordered the rings as a side dish. I'm not having much luck remembering to take my camera out to eat lately.