Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Observatory bar and eatery focuses on scratch-made simplicity

The recently opened Observatory specializes in craft cocktails and sandwiches, like this Cuban. ADRIANA JANOVICH adrianaj@spokesman.com (Adriana Janovich / The Spokesman-Review)

Copernicus keeps watch from the left-hand corner, frozen mid-description of his theory of heliocentrism, or the idea that the sun – not this earth – is the center of the universe.

On the right, a skeleton steals a beverage in a conical cup from a bloated man, an allegory for drinking oneself to death, or at least too much.

These images, painted above the back bar, help set the scene at the Observatory restaurant and lounge in downtown Spokane. Rounding out the decor are pictures of planets and an armillary sphere, “or, as we like to call it, the globey thing,” said Allisen “Alli” Duim, who works as accounts manager at the new venue.

Opened in early November, the Observatory features 10 taps, a full bar with an emphasis on whiskey – particularly bourbon and scotch – freshly squeezed juices (mostly used for mixing) and cheap eats. Nothing on the food menu is more than $10.

Look for toasted sandwiches such as the Fancy Pants Grilled Cheese with raclette, housemade pickles and smoked country ham for $9 and peanut butter and jelly for $6. So far, the top-seller has been the $10 Cuban with shredded and smoked pork, cured ham, Dijon mustard, Swiss cheese and housemade pickles.

Appetizers are limited to a charcuterie board ($10) and crudité platter ($8). During happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, open-face sandwiches – such as the fennel, mushroom pâté, Camembert and arugula – sell for $3.

“The smoked salmon has been a hit so far,” said Alicia Purvis-Lariviere, who created the menu. “I’m really stuck on keeping it nice and cheap, (food) that doesn’t have to be garnished.”

A former pastry chef at Madeleine’s Café and Patisserie and the Historic Davenport Hotel, Purvis-Lariviere manages the kitchen at the Observatory.

She owns the establishment with her husband, Isaac Lariviere, a former longtime night server at the Satellite Diner; his sister and Duim’s mother, Esa Lariviere; and Tyson Sicilia, who owns a local wholesale jewelry business, Icona Jeweler.

They signed the lease in August, then got to work revamping the space, which most recently served as Underground 15 and more famously housed the Blue Spark.

“Everyone has a Blue Spark story if they’ve been around Spokane for awhile,” Sicilia said. “It’s a great space. It’s got a lot of potential.”

He doesn’t have just one Blue Spark story. “I’ve got a million of them,” said Sicilia, recalling one New Year’s Eve in particular when he waited outside – “it was like 20 degrees” – to see the Flying Spiders perform in the intimate stage area.

“Every holiday we end up here,” Duim said.

The group continued to hang out there after Blue Spark closed and the space housed Underground 15.

“We actually came in here on their last night, and they told us they were not going to be open anymore, and we starting pursuing it at that point,” Sicilia said. “It’s kind of a staple in downtown Spokane.”

They like the large front windows that let in light and let customers observe passers-by, the cozy performance space tucked behind the back bar and the history of the place.

They didn’t, however, love the decor, which they set about changing to a more elegant, artsy and astronomy-inspired design.

Nicolaus Copernicus was a Renaissance mathematician and astronomer who drew criticism from scholars and the Roman Catholic Church, which considered his model heretical. He came to represent the brave scientist standing alone, defending his ideas in the face of controversy.

In addition to Copernicus’ image, the new owners painted the walls a grayish blue-green and the ceiling charcoal. They redid the flooring, added wainscoting and bought new equipment.

“It’s a place where you can come observe art, music, people,” Purvis-Lariviere said. “We wanted the vibe to be how comfortable you feel in a dive bar but without all the grime. We want to make everyone feel welcome.”

To that end, they’ve aimed to keep fare, beverages and prices approachable. Food is served until about midnight Monday through Friday. Weekend brunch features spiked coffee, housemade bloody marys and biscuits, mimosas with freshly squeezed juice and breakfast sandwiches.

Well drinks are made with Bacardi rum, New Amsterdam gin, UV vodka, Evan Williams bourbon and Rancho Alegre and Exotico tequila.

Look for classics such as the $8 Pimm’s Cup, Boulevardier and Old Cuban. Grenadine is made in house. So is the simple syrup, aioli and pickles.

“We make our own everything,” Purvis-Lariviere said. “You can do everything from scratch if you keep it simple.”