The Gower Street Bistro in Cannon Beach calls itself a “European-style charcuterie with classic cocktails.” I really want to love this restaurant, but I can’t. Sometimes the food and service are outstanding. Other times, nothing quite works.

The restaurant is charming, with black and white marble tiled floors, a pressed tin ceiling, wicker chairs and tastefully painted beadboard wainscoting. The deli cases are full of delicious cheeses, charcuterie and desserts. Guests waiting for a table, or who simply want to sip a cocktail, can be served in the cozy Cannon Beach Hotel lounge (the restaurant is located within the hotel). But in the tiny restaurant, the tables are so tightly packed that you practically rub elbows with your fellow diners. The butcher-paper covered tables look nice, but in reality, they are a nuisance. While dining, the paper gets right in the way. With tables packed so close, it feels like communal dining. When the weather is nice, tables are set up outside, which provides a less claustrophobic feel.

On to the food. On my first lunchtime visit, a friend and I shared a “half & half” – a mixture of the house charcuterie (deli meats) and fromage (cheese) plates accompanied by fresh and dried fruits. Paired with a glass of Adelsheim pinot gris, with subtle notes of fresh pear and apricot, and small bites of salty salami, an assortment of aged cheese and sweet fruit, this was, for me, the perfect lunch. For dinner, “steamers & moules frites” – mussels and Manila clams steamed in white wine and butter – were tasty, but the sauce was way too salty. The crisp, slender fries (wrapped in parchment and set in a tasteful wire holder) were delicious, but the dish cried out for bread to sop up the sauce.

The “classic Caesar salad,” made with whole hearts of romaine and a delicious classic dressing made with olive oil, anchovies and citrus, would have been perfect if not for the overly crunchy, tiny croutons. Braised short ribs, made with free-range organic Niman Ranch beef, braised in red wine with wild mushrooms and served on a bed of creamy, garlic-flavored grits, were melting off the bone and perfect for the cold rainy weather that we were experiencing. But once again, the sauce was too salty. A glass of Ridge “Lyton Springs” zinfandel, with notes of spice and fresh berries, helped the dish along.

Steamed mussels and clams are served with pommes frites at the Gower Street Bistro in Cannon Beach.On a recent night, crab cakes made with fresh crab seasoned with herbs were golden, crisp and delicious. A duo of Sriacha chili and lemon aiolis added the perfect kick. Tuscan chopped salad, filled with Genoa salami, garbanzo beans, olives, Provolone cheese, artichoke hearts, chopped egg and more, was overwhelming. Somehow, even with all the flavorful ingredients, it was lackluster. We asked for more dressing, but it didn’t help.

A friend enjoyed her Piedmontese hanger steak (“Steak Frittes”), which was marinated and pan seared, then finished with brandy and mushrooms. It was tender and flavorful, but the roasted garlic was undercooked. As always, the pommes frites were crisp and delicious.

My dish, “Chicken Marbella,” was described on the menu as “a rich stew of wine-braised chicken, olives, prunes and capers accented with garlic – wonderful and aromatic.” From the description, I was expecting whole pieces of tender chicken bathed in a fragrant sauce. What I got was an Italian- Chinese stir-fry gone wrong. The dish was overwhelmed by rancid olives and the chicken had been hacked into bite-size pieces. The prunes were totally lost. Once again, I was saved by the wine – a luscious Brezza Barbera d’Alba with notes of dark cherry and spice. Fortunately, dessert saved the night. Flowing with molten bittersweet chocolate, a warm, chocolate brownie cake was divine.