Meet Your Merchant: Family-style dining lives on at Thurman's

While restaurants come and go, Thurman's Ranch House has been a constant in Carson City for 36 years.

Not much has been changed, according to owner Skip Thurman.

"There's a few things I've thought about doing, and I've been told by my customers in no uncertain terms, don't do it," Thurman said.

The restaurant was created by Skip's parents, Len and Elenor Thurman, in 1973. The Thurmans came to Carson City in 1954 to work at the newly opened Carson Nugget, with Len handling the food service.

The Thurmans eventually bought, then sold the Silver Spur (now Doppelgangers) before starting Thurman's Ranch House.

Skip came to work in the restaurant in 1974. His parents continued to run it until they died within months of each other in 1992, leaving the business to Skip.

Running the restaurant is a time-consuming job, with Thurman coming to work every day.

"It's a little small place so you have to do everything you can to keep the doors open," Thurman said. "It's been a lot of fun. It's a grind now with the economy, but it's still fun."

All of his father's old recipes live on, from steaks to pork spareribs to the fresh-made soups. But Thurman has added a few items over the years to keep up with his customers' tastes, such as chicken and halibut. Right now, he's particularly happy with their rack of lamb, marinated in white wine and herbs.

And all of it is served family style in big bowls and on platters.

"We don't serve Basque food, but we serve food Basque style, family style," Thurman said. "Nothing is ala carte. You sit down, and then here it comes. No one ever leaves hungry."

Entrees start at $14, which includes soup, salad and dessert. And for those who indulge, there is burgundy served in standard drink glasses that never stops flowing.

The restaurant also does lunch on weekdays, with Thursday's prime rib sandwich special being a big attraction. And the bar area is a popular place for long-time locals to catch up on the latest gossip.

The restaurant has a loyal clientele that has eaten there for decades. Thurman rattles off names familiar to many Carsonites, the kinds of names that adorn street signs and history books.

"What is sad about doing this for so long is thinking about the people you've lost," Thurman said. "I've lost so many customers to age."

Thurman is the last of the family working in the restaurant. His two children both went into teaching.

"They were smart enough not to go into the restaurant business," he laughed.

As time marches on, Thurman hopes to introduce new generations to the tastes his father brought to town all those years ago.

"We've been here forever," he said. "I hope we'll be here forever more."