DASH Leans West for Gourmet Fixin’s with {S}table

Searching for cowboy boots, country music, and Texas-sized portions? Head farther west; but if you’re looking for cuisine that embraces Southern flavors and farm-inspired ingredients, {S}table comes about as close to classy comfort food dining as you’ll find around these parts.

The new DASH Hospitality venture has David Abes “dashing” to and fro among his five dining concepts concentrated in Dunwoody. Abes noted, “Three months after opening, {S}table has quickly established itself as a neighborhood favorite. We’ve been thrilled by the response as the volume of guests has exceeded our expectations.”

Abes elaborated that these first months have focused on refining service, operational flow, presentation, and the cocktail program while maintaining a menu that has been well received from the start. Looking ahead, seasonality will remain central to their philosophy, with rotating specials and fresh ingredients in year-round favorites. {S}table is preparing to unveil an expanded outdoor patio later this summer. The renovated space will feature a shaded awning system, additional seating, outdoor television, and horseshoe games. Planned programming includes live music, community gatherings, and watch parties designed to activate the space year-round.

This is what we sampled:
Appetizer: Black-Eyed Pea Fritter ($16), served atop sweet potato purée with honey vinaigrette and watercress. The fritters immediately drew comparisons to falafel. Texture and appearance were similar, though the black-eyed peas produced a slightly milder flavor. The sweet potato purée added a balance to the savory fritters, while the honey vinaigrette tied it altogether. The most popular appetizer is the Southern Lazy Susan which has been the most talked-about dish featuring pimiento cheese, Georgia gouda, smoked duck, Vidalia onion dip, benne seed crackers, and house pickles. Abes related, “It offers guests a true taste of the South while creating a fun, shareable dining experience.”
Garden Salad ($14): Crisp greens were enhanced by tangy pickled onions, shaved carrots, tomatoes, and molasses vinaigrette. Shareable.
A lighter entrée was the Harvest Bowl ($16): blend of arugula, toasted barley, sweet potatoes, lima beans, and honey vinaigrette. The bowl can be customized with the addition of salmon for $10 (and other proteins), made into a more substantial meal. Actually, we substituted for trout which came with two huge filets.
The standout entrée was the Wood-Roasted Patagonia Salmon ($28) which traditionally comes with grits, but our table elected to substitute garlic green beans. Yes, the server said it really was imported from Patagonia, the Southwestern tip of Argentina and Chile stretching from the Andes Mountains to the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
Another special seafood choice was the Georgia Mountain Trout Pecandine ($28), arriving in a generous portion large enough to bring thoughts of leftovers. The preparation leaned slightly toward the sweeter side.
For dessert, Abes recommends, “Our Seasonal Fruit Cobbler showcases the best fruit of the season and changes throughout the year. We are currently transitioning from an apple-cinnamon cobbler to a summer peach version. Another guest favorite is the S’mores n’More, our playful take on a campfire classic.”

Private events are becoming an important part of the business. {S}table can accommodate approximately 100 guests indoors, up to 150 for standing receptions, and an additional 50 to 60 on the patio. The venue hosts corporate functions, networking events, rehearsal dinners, birthdays, and family celebrations. DASH Hospitality recently hired Shelley Coplin to oversee event bookings and catering operations.

Abes is actively involved in daily operations, greeting guests and assisting staff. Son, Mitchell, oversees branding, photography, and programming, while wife, Julie, helped shape the interior design.

A mishpocha business, approachable, and distinctly Southern, Abes added, “Some of our earliest guests were visitors from upstate New York who happened to stop by while in town for their granddaughter’s bat mitzvah. Stories like that reflect what we hoped {S}table would become, which is a welcoming gathering place for both locals and visitors to Dunwoody.”

After all, with DASH’s Good Vibes Ice Cream Shop, Morty’s Meat & Supply, Bar{n} booze {n} bites, and Message in a Bottle nearby, it’s bound to be Funwoody.

{S}table is closed on Mondays; open from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., Tuesday to Saturday. and 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday. 470-709-4304. 1317 Dunwoody Village Parkway (look for Marlow’s Tavern nearby).