Manderes nearing move to new spot

It's far removed geographically from Boston's Cheers pub, known famously as "where everybody knows your name," but Manderes restaurant in Folsom aspires to a similar friendly environment. It's a place where customers can dine or order from a roster of as many as 150 domestic and imported beers and an extensive list of wines from California, Washington, Italy and other grape-growing regions.A visit at 3 p.m. on a recent weekday found the restaurant beginning to fill as regulars gathered for beer and wine, an every-day occurrence, said Brent Whited, a former manager of La-Z-Boy furniture galleries in Northern California, who made Manderes his first venture in the restaurant business. After three and a half years across from Bank of America and the Department of Motor Vehicles, Whited, 44, is packing up and moving south to 1004 East Bidwell Street, Suite B600, in the Target shopping center, where it's taking over space previously occupied by Granito's restaurant. Business has been good at the original site but the new location offers an increase in seating to 77 from 49 and a larger kitchen, the better to handle the many specials featured at Manderes. The eatery's name is Latin for "to chew" or "to eat." The move, scheduled for the end of this month, has little to do with being closer to the busier part of town but much more with Whited's frustration with owners of his upper Bidwell building and those of other buildings around it. He laments the lack of routine upkeep by commercial property owners there."The owners need to step up to the plate," he said. "They don't want to put anything into their buildings. There's a lack of commitment from some up at this end. Small businesses can't reface that end of the street by themselves without commitment from the owners."While disappointed in many of the owners, Whited praises the City of Folsom for the assistance its provided to facilitate the Manderes move."They've been phenomenal," he said, while wishing officials good luck in plans to spruce up the shopping area in the Central Business District.Whited said Manderes draws "all facets" of customers, including "a lot of professionals who enjoy the open social environment we've created. With the wide range of beers from all over the world and with all the craft beers, it gives people an opportunity to try new things and expand their tastes." The menu is "American fare, with most sauces having a bit of an Asian twist," said Whited. "We do some Italian, a little bit of everything." The current house specialty is bolgolgi, a Korean barbecue served at dinner for $15.99. It's on the lunch menu as a bolgolgi hoagie.Besides redoing the patio at its new home, Manderes will add more specials and likely expand its beer selection. "The main thing I try to push is a great environment with great food, great beer and great wine," Whited said. "We try to create a social place where everybody's comfortable and everybody gets to know each other and enjoys their time here."Whited lives in Sacramento with his wife, Shannon, and their three daughters. * * *SHOP TALKWhat: Manderes Where: 402 E. Bidwell St., Folsom; soon to move to 1004 E. Bidwell St., Suite B600, Folsom.Hours: 11 a.m to 11 p.m., Monday through Saturday; noon to 10 p.m. Sunday.Owner: Brent WhitehedPhone: (916) 986-9655Online: manderes.com