Krispy’s Chicken in Groveland is Heaven-on-Earth for Folks Who Love Real Food

I try hard to have lunch or dinner at Krispy’s anytime I pass through the town of Groveland. I passed right by this Mecca of awesome eats a couple of days ago, but alas, it was way passed their closing time. I was cruising down Highway 50 on my way to Brooksville for three days of camping and great music and was making the trip at a rather odd time. I will get back there soon to atone for the great sin of passing a top-ten best Florida eatery without stopping to chow down.

I could boil down my whole review to two terms near-and-dear to the hearts of all of us who love Southern cooking. Those would be: “fried chicken” and “buffet!”

Now, I know that some buffets are not worth the $8.95 and they depend on patrons who are drawn in by the “all you can eat” part but who haven’t actually sampled the product. They rate high in quantity but miss the mark completely in the quality department. Krispy’s is NOT like that.

If you stop by once, you’ll become a regular. Like me, you’ll feel like you’ve done something very, very wrong if you’re even in the same zip code and don’t stop in.

The chicken is scrumptious and you can go back to the counter to reload whenever you want. Their amazing sides are on that delectable buffet and I swear if I hated fried chicken, I’d go there for those side dishes alone.

I love the collard greens. The black-eyed peas are choice. The chicken salad has become a fave of mine; this is the only joint I’ve ever been to that throws jalapeno bits into chicken salad. You’ve got to try it.  And get this: the mashed potatoes are in a steaming-hot hotel pan right next to — can you believe it — a pan of chicken gravy! No, I wouldn’t kid you about that!

For those of you who have read my blog before or know me from social media know that I do like the national chicken chain where most of us have dined a thousand times. I do. But it’s always bothered me that the gravy served with their mashed potatoes is beef gravy. Well, Krispy’s is the first restaurant I’ve been to that doesn’t engage in that awful practice. Beef gravy with fried chicken! Who ever heard of such a thing!? (No, this is NOT a knock on KFC. They stand head-and-shoulders above most fast food places, but the gravy thing annoys me to no end!)

Folks, I could go on and on. But I won’t. Just go to Krispy’s and be prepared to chow down. It’s got great vittles. In ridiculous portions. With good and friendly service. What more could any lover of down home-cooking ask?

 

Krispy’s Chicken ~ 307 E. Broad Street ~ Groveland, Florida ~ Call 352 429-4819

 

Photo credit Benjamin Lawrence Basile