Dining Guide

The past few years, Richard Righton has been all over the map. The founder of the celebrated Bidwell Street Bistro in Folsom sold his French restaurant in 2013 to focus on his decidedly American establishment, Relish Burger Bar, and his Irish pub, 36 Handles. And he hasn’t looked back. Handles’ interior is drenched in creamy golds and rich reds, with plush chairs and dark wood tables (all imported from Ireland)—the perfect atmosphere for a brew from one of the namesake 36 taps, which feature UK classics like Guinness and Boddingtons and hometown heroes like Moonraker and Track 7. Dishes like the fish and chips (with haddock or cod) and the smoked chili pepper mac and cheese pay just enough respect to the classics without slipping into predictable, and the Platter of Lil’ Darbys, with red chili kettle chips, braised pork, fontina cheese and pickled onions is a must-eat. Be sure to save room for the toothsome Guinness bread pudding, made in-house and soaked in caramel sauce.