DINING: How to end a jinx

Heidi Knapp Rinella, Diva of Dining

14 years ago

Gotta love a restaurant with a sense of humor.

The owners of the new Hotel California Restaurant & Cantina in Boca Park had to be a little nervous.

We’re still in a pretty scary economic period, but even in the best of times, their location has had more than its share of rough patches. It opened as Tre, followed by Hannah’s, then was Seastone. And that’s if I’m not forgetting any, and not even taking into account periods of vacancy in between.

So, in response to the conventional wisdom that the location might be a little jinxed, they brought in a shaman Wednesday for a ceremonial sage-burning ceremony.

Oh, and the restaurant’s specialty cocktail? The Jinx — made from fresh oranges with Jose Cuervo, apricot liqueur and sage.

The grand-opening celebration, which is open to the public, starts tonight (May 5) and continues through Saturday, 5 to 10 nightly. Outdoors there’s live music, complimentary food and other refreshments (margarita snow cones, anyone?) and more, and the complete signature menu is available inside.

Hotel California Restaurant & Cantina is at 1050 S. Rampart Blvd.