May 11, 2007
by Karen Persson for The Columbian

Manager Amy McFall Prince distributes artichoke dumplings onto beds of arugula. Minutes later a preserved lemon sauce was added. (The Columbian, Janet L. Mathews)

Why: Around the Table offers an unusual concept called a "dinner gathering" on Friday and Saturday evenings. Reservations are required and the restaurant limits the number of diners to 34 to create an intimate setting. During the two-hour seating, patrons are served a four-course meal. Seating is communal style. If you prefer to sit in a small group, that can be arranged.

What a "dinner gathering" is like: Under candlelight, wine is served as patrons wait for the first course. On the night I went, there were a dozen people who came for the four-course meal prepared by owner Karen Lasher. The meal featured grilled herb-encrusted leg of lamb with roasted fingerling potatoes as well as a noodle galette with sautéed wild mushrooms and cumin-infused celery root broth. The dinner gathering is a chance to get acquainted with people you might otherwise never meet. By dinner's end, the conversation was flowing, laughter was abundant, and there were even some phone numbers exchanged. The staff was attentive and courteous. But for what it was, at $35 per person, the meal was expensive.

Highlights and lowlights of the meal: Asparagus, part of the first-course salad, was pan cooked just long enough to take away the fresh snap and leave it with an appetizing crunch, which competed somewhat with the sautéed whole almonds. Bits of chorizo act as seasoning in the mix, which included homemade croutons. The noodle galette - noodle patties fried and placed atop broth, mushrooms and greens - was difficult to eat. I used a fork and knife as well as spoons for the broth. The lamb was sliced, stacked and cold. Much of the meal was a tepid temperature. The tiramisu finale had a rich, drenched consistency and flavor, leaving a trace of rum behind.

Backstory: Owner Karen Lasher has spent 20 years in food-service management. She started in the Northwest, went to Ohio and then returned to this area in 2004 to open a personal chef business in Camas. Along the way, she came up with the idea of Around the Table, which opened on Feb. 1.

Atmosphere: Around the Table blends in with the eclectic array of shops and businesses that line the streets of refurbished downtown Camas. The interior of the restaurant has a welcoming ambiance, decorated in a vineyard palette of olive green and plum. Brick walls are accented by dark wood and black tables and chairs, with warm highlights coming from a muted yellow wall of the kitchen and light earthy-colored counter tops. It has a warehouse-to-restaurant feel. I found the temperature to be cool, and the floor needed to be swept.

What about lunch? By 1:30 p.m. each day, don't expect everything on the lunch menu to be available. On a recent visit, they were out of my first choice (egg salad), the chicken jambalaya and one other menu item. I settled for the $7 salad sampler, composed of Moroccan carrot, couscous and mixed greens. The Moroccan carrot, with feta cheese and olives, had a tart and tangy flavor tamed by the cooked cold carrots. The couscous' mild herb flavor was complemented by dried cranberries. But I opted not to eat the mixed greens, after I observed the leaves being pulled from the bag with bare hands. I also saw a turkey sandwich prepared gloveless.

You should know: I had perused the Web site prior to visiting Around the Table, and was surprised by Lasher's casualness of dress in person. She didn't wear a long-sleeved chef's jacket, as the Web photos suggested. Instead, she worked in a short-sleeved T-shirt and a waist apron. The other photos on the site didn't portray this particular establishment.

What didn't look right: A grimy ­Weber barbecue was used for grilling the lamb, on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant. That was not appealing to walk past, and it also appeared to be a hazard.

Where: 316 N.E. Dallas St., Camas.

Hours: Dinner gatherings are at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and 7 p.m. Saturdays. Also open from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays through Fridays (coffee and pastries served until 11:30 a.m.). Take-home meals are available for pick up from 4 to 7 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.

Contact: 360-834-0171, around-the-table.com .