CINDY, INCIDENTALLY:

The latest “it” bar in Huntington Beach involves a mechanical bull.

Apparently the storefront at 300 Pacific Coast Hwy. has had turnover through the years as business owners attempted to entice the fickle bar crowd with pool halls, upscale restaurants and dive bars.

But Black Bull Chop House, which opened in early May, has beat the odds and proven popular, by tapping into Orange County’s deep-seated “Urban Cowboy” fantasies.

For some reason, a mechanical bull is a crowd pleaser, mainly because of its sex appeal. If you have ever seen the Carl’s Jr. commercial with the girl riding a mechanical bull ever-so-slowly, while eating a western bacon cheeseburger, you know what I’m talking about.

The commercial is pure genius, and I have to admit I always stop in my tracks and watch it completely mesmerized every time it plays.

On a Thursday night, Black Bull Chop House goes from steakhouse to nightclub after 10 p.m. Bartenders sport the sexy cowgirl/cowboy look, the DJ spins “SexyBack” by Justin Timberlake and a rambunctious crowd surrounds the bull pen. There aren’t a lot of cowboy hats and spurs worn by the O.C. crowd, but there is a rodeo excitement every time a new rider takes on the bull.

The ratio of men and women riders is mixed, but the reaction is totally favored for the ladies. When a guy jumps on the mechanical bull, most of them are laughing and focused on trying to stay on the bull as long as possible, which by the way, is the point. I know this can get lost in the whole sexy cowgirl imagery that a mechanical bull creates.

When a girl saddles up the reaction is bold. There is lots of applause, hollering, whistles and a few comments that one would expect to hear from a crowd shooting Jager bombs.

Oh, and when two girls climb ride the bull together, forget it, the crowd is just beside themselves.

“Every guy wishes he was the bull,” one guy explained to me, after he screamed overly enthusiastically toward a girl rider.

“The bull represents power and strength,” another male spectator said. “We are envious of the bull.”

The mechanical bull itself is cute, has fake fur and dons a pair of pointy horns, which I thought was a nice touch.

You don’t have to ride the bull to have a good time, there’s a decent sized dance floor, good music, and the bartenders are friendly and don’t skimp on liquor. But if you dare to ride the bull, take heed.

“The bull is definitely a draw,” says Genevieve Shill, 26, who made the pilgrimage to Huntington Beach from Irvine. “It’s a very sexual bull; but personally, it’s not as fun as it looks. It hurts, you get bruises, and it’s painful.”

Oh well. At least you look good while you’re on it, right?

CINDY ARORA is a freelance writer for the Independent.