You never know what it’s going to take for a restaurant to be successful these days. Ever since Covid, the old standards have gone by the wayside and forced new models of operation. It seems more and more of us are looking to make our dining experience simpler and more comfortable—hence the popularity of comfort food.

Michael Sanson, restauranteur and owner of Historic Folsom’s newest eatery, Plank Craft Kitchen + Bar, has acknowledged and embraced that concept. His remodel of the building at 608 Sutter Street is a relaxed atmosphere of wood and warmth, including the bar that he painstakingly refinished by hand.

I sat at said bar and sampled a few items from the lunch menu. First, I went Southern comfort—as in Nashville hot chicken wings. Having sweated my way through the original (reputedly) at Prince’s in Nashville, I was hoping these were a bit tamer. They were even possibly a bit too tame for chicken bearing the “Nashville hot” moniker. Plank bakes their wings (fine with me), unlike the deep-fried version doused with cayenne that Prince’s lover served him the morning after he cheated on her in the 1930s. The rest is chicken history.

Next up, a tasty rendition of one of my favorites: roasted beet salad. Spring mix, roasted beets, toasted walnuts, green onions, and goat cheese with honey dijon vinaigrette combined for a refreshing, healthy starter—or an entrée with the addition of one of five available proteins. Either way, you can’t go wrong if you like roasted beets.

Burgers are a mainstay at Plank, and they do them well. I got the Dre’s BBQ burger at the risk of being redundant, because that’s what I like on a burger. A 1/3 pound of beef, lettuce, tomatoes, cheddar cheese, zesty BBQ sauce, applewood smoked bacon, and a crunchy, fat, onion ring on brioche proved to be as good as it looked. I could’ve opted for their panko-crusted, buttermilk-baked chicken sandwich with fried green tomatoes, cheddar cheese, bacon aioli, and bourbon-bacon slaw, but that will be a must-try on my next visit.

Another forward-thinking idea from Mike and his team is the “Marketplace Sides”—four lighter additions that take the place of the usual fries, tots, or rings. I ordered avocado, cherry tomatoes, and pine nuts in a lime vinaigrette to accompany my meal. Though a small upcharge, it was well worth it, in my opinion.

To finish, I went with a velvety crème brûlée and had to stop myself from also ordering the cheesecake (both are made in-house).

Take a bike ride around the lake, do some shopping on Sutter Street, and have a relaxing, “comfortable” meal at Historic Folsom’s newest eatery—you’ll be glad you did. 

Hours: 9 a.m.-9 p.m. (Sunday); closed Monday; 4-9 p.m. (Tuesday-Wednesday); 11 a.m.-9 p.m. (Thursday); 11 a.m.-10 p.m. (Friday); 9 a.m.-10 p.m. (Saturday)

Try This: Rock-N-Tots, Beef & Cheddar Sliders, Roasted Beet Salad, Buttermilk-Baked Chicken Sandwich, Dre’s BBQ Burger, Cedar Plank Salmon, Marionberry French Toast, Lobster Benedict, Crème Brûlée

Drinks: Full bar; beer, wine, and cocktails

Tab: $$

Heads-Up: Street-side patio; weekday happy hour from 4-6 p.m.; espresso drinks; upstairs dining; weekend breakfast from 9 a.m.-noon; reservations available online; kids’ menu; mocktails made using Liquid Alchemist syrups; pitchers of beer