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Restaurant posts reward for mascot

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Costa Mesa police might want to keep a close eye on the county fair’s cattle drive this weekend for clues to their missing, uh, bull case.

Costa Mesa police haven’t sent out a search party yet, but a black bull, rumored to be more than 100 years old, was stolen from El Matador restaurant on Newport Boulevard. The owners posted a $250 reward to whoever brings it back.

The furry, 4-foot-tall statue used to sit on a maroon vinyl-topped stool at the end of the bar with a margarita in its hand. Since a frequent customer gave the bull to the new owners of the restaurant on Cinco de Mayo more than a year ago, the animal has become somewhat of a mascot.

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Although it has a set of distinctively masculine horns, the bull has an effeminate appearance, with long eyelashes and crossed legs, toting its colorful margarita glass in one hoof.

Owners Greg and Jana McConaughy dressed it up in festive attire for the holidays, like a sombrero for Cinco de Mayo and a red felt hat and white beard for Christmas.

They suspect the theft was probably a prank, because the bull wouldn’t have been worth anything aside from the sentimental value it had to the bar patrons. The bull, it’s rumored, came from Italy and was made more than a century ago.

“I think someone’s playing a joke on us,” Jana said. “I’m not positive, but we’d really like to get it back.”

The bull was stolen while the bar was open, which is a bit mind boggling considering the thing is the size of a small child, until you see the door right next to the stool where it sat. Someone could have slipped out with the statue while the staff was busy, a hostess guessed.

Now, as the bull’s bar stool sits empty, the owners long for its return.

They say they will ask no questions. Anyone who knows the bull’s whereabouts should call (949) 645-0324.


ALAN BLANK may be reached at (714) 966-4623 or at alan.blank@latimes.com.

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