Sassafras opens for business in Carson City; grand opening Saturday, Feb. 7

Sassafras Eclectic Food Joint, after a “soft” reopening run-through afternoons and evenings this week, intends to serve both lunch and dinner starting Monday and have a grand reopening on Feb. 7.

So said Jayme Watts Thursday as she and her husband, Anthony Fish, prepared for another evening of dinner service leading up to their first weekend. She said there was an outside chance hours might be longer this weekend, but staffing and other considerations mean 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. service would begin for sure Monday. The restaurant is at the Carson Hot Springs Resort, 1500 Old Hot Springs Rd.

“We are ecstatic to be reopened,” said Watts, co-owner with her husband, the chef. This is a new version of the restaurant that used to operate at 318 N. Carson St., where there also was a Curry Street entrance downtown.

Sassafras had operated there under the ownership of Scott Doerr, but he moved on to employment in Douglas County and the couple is reopening it at the resort because, as Fish and Watts said earlier, the location “gives us many of the amenities that we deem important for our unique restaurant model.”

Watts on Thursday said the grand reopening event on the first Saturday next month will feature music by Notch 8 and Hick’ry Switch. Notch 8 provides a blend of sets that include American Roots music. Hick’ry Switch is known for bluegrass mainly.

Watts indicated one of the reasons for being ecstatic at the reopening, initially from 4 p.m. on but next week from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, was finding the right spot wasn’t done quickly. Next came remodeling. “Then it took a little longer than we thought,” she said.

Fish, who goes by Tony, said earlier a long-term lease was signed with Carson City Holdings LLC. He said he and Watts, who handles front end operations while he oversees food preparation, intend to continue the music tradition associated with the Sassafras/Plan:b venue downtown.

Watts said Thursday it wouldn’t be known as Plan:b, but music would definitely be part of the ambiance. In addition, the restaurant provides customers a chance to take advantage of proximity to the hot springs experience.