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Over the years the property at 12 Ericsson Avenue had it’s share of owners with unique visions, from an Irish-themed bar, to a beachside restaurant with quick-service menu items and karaoke night, but this one could be the boldest yet.

Beginning in June, proprietors Chef Paul Edward and wife Caroline Benkert will offer dinner nightly, a pre fixe menu to “20 souls� Wednesday through Saturday at 6:30 p.m. at Sassafras.

Edward explained, “Whatever is caught that day we’re going to prepare. This early spring, we are looking forward to Chesapeake Blue Crab, spawning rockfish, foraged morels, forest herbs and greens and rhubarb and asparagus.�

He mentioned he has local watermen, hunters and farmers helping him prepare this food and complete his vision for the establishment.

“Our focus will be wild caught seafood from the Bay, water fowl during hunting season, foraged fruits and vegetables and hyper-seasonal produce from local farmers,� Edward said.

He has ambitious plans for his cuisine. Having just put down the gravel in the parking lot, already downstairs there is fresh fish hanging, a humongous yellow-fin tuna and jumbo fluke dangling from rope, cooling.

A quick glance around the chef’s work area, tells you everything will be freshly made and prepared using homemade spices and herbs. He even makes his own kombucha, a fermented drink containing probiotics that may support gut health and improve digestion. Even the flour and corn flour is not store-bought.

Edward reflects on a time in the distant past, how people prepared food before modern conveniences and heavy processing methods. “I think back to the time when fish was roasted over fire and corn was made into batter and baked over coals and the smoke of oak perpetually perfumed.�

He and Benkert will deliver these types of meals in elegant fashion to no more than 20 diners in a supper club setting, an old idea, revitalized after COVID-19 lockdowns when people looked to connect again through food and cozy atmosphere.

Diners step into a rustic yet tasteful setting that feels familiar with old, well-kept homes on the Eastern Shore. The floors are wood from this area, but burned in a Japanese style. There is a fireplace now, then the long chef’s table, (where the bar used to be) with fine, vintage china purchased from a Crumpton auction which creates the familiar feel of a waterfront home.

Edward describes it as “modern Chesapeake cookery.�

With 20 years experience owning the BlueBird — Baltimore, winner of the “Best of Baltimore� Readers’ Poll for cocktails in 2018, 2020, 2021, and 2022, they are excited for this next project, a restaurant based on their understanding of food, nutrition and optimal health. Edward said he has ideas similar to Modern Stone Age Kitchen, to which owner Bill Schindler, is a friend and will be one of his first dining guests.

The property overlooks the beach, and as people are drawn to the Bay when the weather gets nicer, Edward and Benkert are hoping to build a consistent clientele.

“Our guests will experience the Chesapeake Bay, this ancient and beautiful body of water, through an intimate feast unlike any they’ve had before.�

To learn more or make a reservation visit .