It was a Monday night, but that didn't stop busloads of Bendites were shuttled down to join Sunriver snowbirds to open the latest Hola! location in the space formerly occupied by Trout House. Fans of the Eastside and Old Mill locations arrived in droves thanks to co-owner Marcos Rodriguez's Facebook post.
The new location brings the same distinct flavors of Peru and Mexico, this time with an emphasis on locally-sourced ingredients. For those devoted to longstanding margarita favorites including the (I'm glad it's not local) Red Cactus margarita, fear not - the bar menu and margarita service (a half-full shaker comes with every margarita) remain the same. Other highlights include my first taste of Chef Jose's Paella, which combines fresh, flavorful seafood with perfectly seasoned rice, and heroic bartender, Gene, jumping behind the bar to mix margaritas during the overwhelming influx of Monday night arrivals.
The ribbon to tie the whole evening together? Live music featuring a female Latin singer who was as beautiful as she was talented. Here's to a great reason to say hello again to Sunriver. Or should I say Hola?
