Herschel's Scratch Kitchen Biscuits and Gravy
For our second Blogscuits and Gravy post, we present another October birthday outing. G planned a whole day of surprises for T's birthday, and of course they had to include some B&G! I decided to try a restaurant with great reviews- Herschel's Scratch Kitchen.
I take birthdays very seriously. Extremely seriously. I took off of work for T's 31st birthday this year and planned an entire day of activities without telling her about any of it. (Don't worry, she's used to this.) Last year we were in Disney World for her 30th, so I had to make sure this one was special too.
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The place:
Herschel's Scratch Kitchen- New Port Richey, Florida.
Hershel's Scratch Kitchen's website says they opened in 2020, which I found interesting because most small businesses were struggling during that time. "Herschel's Scratch Kitchen combines the traditional European Brasserie with the the relaxed flair of American eateries. Chef Chris Muller offers American classics with subtle Southern influences for breakfast, and lunch."
Since the restaurant is in the heart of downtown New Port Richey, we parked a few blocks away in the ~Gloria Swanson parking lot~ by Sims Park.
I wonder what Gloria would order from Herschel's.
We didn't get much more than a glimpse of the inside of the restaurant since the host stand was located outside on the patio. It was a little small but had a cool bar (like a diner, which I love.) We did not visit the restrooms this time. Here are some pictures of the interior from Yelp.
We spoke to the hostess outside who was quite busy (it was 11:30 on a Saturday morning) and stood in the sunshine for a bit waiting to be seated outside since it was a nice day.
The menu:
The first thing we ordered was a mimosa (G) and a Bud Light (T). We had also ordered two waters from the hostess which we did not receive.
Lucky for me, Herschel's had avocado toast, which I ordered with scrambled eggs (and breakfast potatoes) because I had the weekend off (plenty of time to suffer through egg sensitivity symptoms before work on Monday). T of course, ordered her Biscuits and Gravy.
The verdict:
This was a classic biscuits and gravy order with no frills and nothing out of the ordinary. T said the biscuits were condensed but not undercooked: they were "lumpy and squishy, in a nice way." The texture of the biscuits was consistent and good. "Kind of the opposite of last time." She enjoyed the Herschel's biscuits more than the First Watch biscuits, but had a lot of thoughts about Herschel's gravy...
"The gravy is interesting because it's more creamy. Less pepper... barely any pepper actually. Not a strong sausage flavor. The sauce is kind of basic. It doesn't really taste like sausage. Even when I take a bite of the sausage it doesn't taste very sausagey." She said the First Watch sausage gravy had a punch of flavor, whereas Herschel's was more cream based. "If you like a simple creamy taste or if you have a sensitive stomach, then this is good for you."
T did enjoy her meal- she's very easy going so it's hard to find something she won't eat.
"It's like a party in my mouth but like a party with friends. Where you sit by the fire and play some scrabble. It's rockin', but it's chill. Smooth. If you like seasoning you might want to season it more."
"This is an American breakfast. Bud Light and biscuits and gravy."
Overall, T rated her Herschel's Biscuits and Gravy as a 5/10.
Upon asking T after the fact, she stood by her rating. She said biscuits were great but the dish was "bland".
Other thoughts:
After asking for two waters again, we received one water and had to share it. This might seem trivial but this happens to me all the time at restaurants and it's something that's important to me. I cannot eat without water and I also take enzymes before my meal so if I can't get my water I get anxiety. 🤷🏻♀️😂
My avocado toast was interesting. I ordered it on rye toast and it came with some kind of seasoned tomato topping underneath the eggs. (Kind of a Southwestern vibe.) The eggs didn't seem to be seasoned at all so they just tasted like eggs. The tomato concoction went better with the potatoes, which were AMAZING. Out of all the food we ordered I think the potatoes were the best- I ate every bite.
Conclusion:
Being seated on the patio became very hot and sweaty after a little while. (Florida at the end of October is still rough.) Herschel's location in downtown New Port Richey is convenient and the patio is adorable but it's right on a busy street so it does get quite loud at times. The experience wasn't quite what I was expecting and I would not recommend the restaurant to my parents who are very picky. I would, however, visit the patio again after dark when the icicle lights are on, for some drinks and appetizers. And most importantly, T enjoyed her birthday brunch.
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Side note: upon contemplating what Gloria Swanson would have ordered at Herschel's, I found out that she was a bit of a health freak, which is awesome. This article calls her "a champion of clean eating." I'd like to think she would have also ordered the avocado toast. 😊
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