Sassafras offers unusual menu with traditional dishes | News

And shortly, there won’t be a need to have for reservations.

“We’re using child methods for now,” Matt Weafer, who owns the restaurant with his brother, Dennis, said Tuesday. “We know we’ll have hiccups.”

There’s a 12-member staff members now.

But the restaurant is even now choosing and requirements about 20 folks in advance of opening for lunch, the brothers mentioned.

The historic downtown developing that Sassafras calls residence has housed a few legendary dining places considering that it was crafted in 1921 — Mike Callas’ Sweet Shop, Barney’s Callas Grill and Bill’s Restaurant — and the brothers are hoping their cafe reaches iconic standing.

So much, the restaurant has had most of its 68 seats crammed each night — Tuesday via Saturday.

“Our complete menu is unusual,” Matt Weafer mentioned.

The dishes are common — in a lot of instances, convenience foods. But they are not like what diners obtain elsewhere.

The Kentucky Johnnycake, for occasion, capabilities the traditional cornmeal flatbread, but with smoked meat, pickled onion, cheese and sorghum.

They like sorghum since it’s “sweet, but not extremely sweet.”

The rooster and dumplings functions smoked chicken.

The pork in the pork-and-beans is also smoked.

Dennis Weafer stated his beloved meal is the smoked pimento cheese, which is an appetizer but can be a topping for burgers.

Matt Weafer’s favorite is the small ribs and grits.

The sunflower seed-crusted trout is pretty superior also, they stated.

They make the vanilla wafers for the banana pudding in household.

The Weafers claimed they’re attempting to keep the price tag of entrees at amongst $20 and $30 and the appetizers in the teens.

But meals charges from their suppliers are exploding, they reported.

“Every day a thing is not out there,” Dennis Weafer reported. “And rates are doubling.”

They test to invest in as a lot locally as they can, they reported.

The bar features Kentucky-created bourbon, beer, gin, vodka, rum and other spirits.

And certainly, gin, vodka and rum are all produced in Kentucky.

The artwork by local artists on the partitions is for sale, Dennis Weafer explained.

There is even a banjo manufactured by observed-steel artist Andy Shoemaker.

But it doesn’t perform, they claimed.

Matt Weafer owns Niko’s Bakery & Café in Wesleyan Park Plaza with his spouse, Jessica.

Dennis Weafer is the chef/proprietor of Fetta Specialty Pizza at 118 St. Ann St.

“We’ve usually desired to be in enterprise with each other,” Matt Weafer. “We enjoy doing work jointly.”

Both of those carry on to get the job done at their individual dining establishments as well.

Questioned when they snooze, Dennis Weafer said, “What’s that?”

Matt Weafer claimed the restaurant’s identify is a tribute to the “world’s greatest sassafras tree” down the avenue at 2100 Frederica St.

“We’d like to use sassafras in our recipes, but the Food and drug administration has guidelines,” he mentioned. “But we want to use that flavor in other approaches.”

Sassafras was after made use of to taste root beer and make a tea that was employed in people medicinal therapies, but the U.S. Foodstuff and Drug Administration reported it brought on liver cancer in rats when provided in high doses and banned its use in foods and drinks in the 1970s.

For reservations, text your title, range of folks in your get together and the time you want to dine to 270-570-0073, Matt Weafer said.