Restaurant owner Peter Froese had a prime downtown Spokane location fall into his lap when former Santé owner Jeremy Hansen called him and asked him if he wanted to take over the location at 404 W. Main.

Now, after some interior reconstruction, Froese says he expects to open Gander & Ryegrass, his “Italian-inspired, American restaurant” by the first of next month. Until then, however, he wants to begin rolling out slowly “preview dinners” to the public.

“It’s going to be a menu-course night; night quick bites,” Froese says of Gander & Ryegrass. “We want to continue in the spirit of Santé and have you come and spend a couple of hours with us.”

Froese says Gander & Ryegrass will employ whole animal butchery, which is the practice of cutting from whole carcasses rather than buying boxed meat or bulk standard cuts. Froese says he has a background in breaking down lambs and goats.

“We’re certainly not bringing (live) animals in and cutting them up,” Froese says.

Gander and Ryegrass will feature homemade pastas daily and will also feature a full bar, he says.