Sassafras will reopen at Carson Hot Springs

Sassafras will open in December at the Carson Hot Springs Resort, 1500 Old Hot Springs Road in Carson City, the co-owner and chef said Friday.

Anthony Fish said after months of diligent searching, a lease was signed with Carson City Holdings, LLC, and remodeling is under way to get the Sassafras and Plan:b music venue, both of which operated downtown until July, ready for a reopening. He said the restaurant and night spot concept will be similar, but changes will include access to the pool area to offer food and beverages there as well.

“We worked out a nice, long-term lease,” said Fish, who goes by Tony and is the principal with his spouse, Jayme Watts. Scott Doerr, who ran the restaurant downtown until it had to move out when landlords secured a new tenant, will help during a transition period, according to Fish. Fish said the goal is to reopen Dec. 1.

Remodeling and licensing details, however, still must be handled and so the date is a target for reopening in the new spot.

“He’ll be involved,” said Fish of Doerr. “He’ll be helping us through the transition.”

Doerr, meanwhile, wished Fish and Watts well. He said he would provide transition consulting but has secured employment outside the restaurant field.

Fish is the chef and he said his spouse will handle the front-end work to oversee patron services and other aspects of the restaurant and music venues. He views continuing the music aspect as part of retaining the Sassafras/Plan:b experience provided by the Sassafras family.

“The location gives us many of the amenities that we deem important for our unique restaurant model,” Fish and Watts said in a prepared statement.

“We intend to recognize the Carson Hot Springs Resorts rich and interesting history,” said the pair, “and we welcome any memorabilia or stories that will further this goal.”

The pair said venerating the historic spot is important to the Sassafras family and to Keith Shellhamer, general manager of Carson City Holding Co LLC.

“We will be able to offer our full eclectic menu, premium and extraordinary ales, wines and cocktails, custom catering services, creative and diverse entertainment and now — with the addition of a natural hot springs resort — we believe that we will be able to expand our ever-changing vision of Sassafras,” Fish and Watts said.

Fish said the space being remodeled has housed lounges lately, which featured various themes, but he believes the last restaurant there was Joe Bob’s Roadhouse.