Pacific Northwest-inspired restaurant Lilac & Pine opens at Davenport Grand

The restaurant formerly known as Table 13 has a new name, a new look and a new mission.

Lilac & Pine opened May 14 inside the Davenport Grand Hotel following a yearlong redesign that transformed the space into a restaurant centered on Spokane identity and Pacific Northwest flavors.

From partnerships with Spokane businesses such as Dry Fly Distilling and Spiceology to a menu built around seasonal and regional ingredients, the restaurant was designed with the local community in mind.

"We really wanted to give that restaurant identity," said Melissa Green, vice president and area managing director of the Davenport Hotel Collection.

Table 13 operated inside the Davenport Grand since the hotel opened in 2015. Green described it as a successful restaurant, but said hotel leadership saw an opportunity to create a concept that felt more connected to Spokane and better reflected the surrounding area near the Spokane River and First Interstate Center for the Arts.

"When we thought about what to do with that space, I think it was really important to tell Spokane's story," Green said.

The restaurant's long-term goal is to become known as more than just a hotel dining option.

"Saying goodbye to Table 13 wasn't easy," said Rudy Velasquez, chef de cuisine at Lilac and Pine. "The direction that we want to go is to not be the hotel restaurant, but a great restaurant that is in the hotel. I think that's really important."

The redesign took about a year from start to finish. A large central bar anchors the restaurant, alongside a variety of seating options that were intended to create a more welcoming and social atmosphere.

The restaurant's name was also selected with Spokane in mind.

"When you think of Spokane, you can go into your backyard and you have a pine tree and you have lilac," Green said.

The Spokane influence extends throughout the restaurant, including a commissioned art installation by local artists Ben Joyce and Jesse Pierpoint featuring local traditions and landmarks, such as Hoopfest, Bloomsday and the Looff Carrousel.

Green said the goal was to create a gathering place that appeals to both hotel guests and local residents.

One of the ways Lilac & Pine hopes to accomplish that is through its menu.

Velasquez said the culinary team built the menu to be approachable for a wide range of diners.

"An emphasis that's really important for us is to be seasonal and local; regional in a sense," Velasquez said.

The menu includes dishes such as cedar-roasted king salmon, pine-smoked steaks, Dungeness crab rolls and black garlic and prosciutto flatbreads.

Velasquez said developing the menu required extensive testing and collaboration among the culinary staff.

"No dishes were on a whim," Velasquez said. "Everything was tested, developed and scrutinized. Everyone was involved in the tasting process and the development of it."

The restaurant partnered with Spokane-based Spiceology to create two custom seasonings.

The first, called Lilac & Pine seasoning, incorporates thyme, dill and celery seed along with traditional spices such as paprika, garlic and onion. The seasoning is used on multiple menu items, including the cedar plank salmon and the double-bone pork chop.

A second product, pine salt, is made using spruce tips and serves as a finishing salt.

"We have the ability to purchase from everybody in the area," Velasquez said. "Whether that's going straight up to Green Bluff and getting strawberries for a Spiceology dinner or utilizing halibut cheeks on the fresh halibut run."

The restaurant has continued the Davenport's longtime partnership with Dry Fly Distilling. After a seven-month process of brainstorming different combinations, Lilac City Gin is now available at all Davenport locations.

For Velasquez, the menu is about more than ingredients and sourcing.

"Food is memories," he said. "When you have a dish and you take your first bite, a success, from a chef standpoint, is that transportation back to when your mother made it or your grandmother made it."

One menu item that surprised the culinary team during development was the hamburger. Velasquez described it as simple, but said it quickly became a favorite during tastings.

"Its beauty is in its simplicity, but it's a flavor bomb in your palate," he said.

The cedar plank salmon, which is painted in the lilac and pine seasoning, remains another standout because of its connection to the Pacific Northwest theme.

While Lilac & Pine is still in its first month of operation, Green and Velasquez said the response has been encouraging.

"We've gotten some phenomenal feedback," Green said.

"It's been really well received with not only the travelers, but the community that's been in," Velasquez added.

Green said she hopes Lilac & Pine becomes one of Spokane's favorite places to gather.

"I think it'll be a great fit right away," Green said. "We truly hope that we become one of the local favorite restaurants."

Lilac and Pine, located at 333 W. Spokane Falls Blvd., is open daily from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.

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