The Ordinarie has taken on an entirely new, wonderfully witchy facade with its inaugural Haunting takeover. Think Miracle-gone-Halloween, where the space is decked out from floor to ceiling with nearly every Halloween decoration and reference imaginable on display in some capacity. With it, a special array of Halloween-themed cocktails, mugs for purchase, spooky bites, and plenty of ghostly vibes.
“We have been longtime partners with the folks at Miracle,” said owner Christy Caldwell. “It only made sense for us to work with them for their new Halloween pop-up so we’re quite excited to be one of the few West Coast spaces to bring The Haunting to their patrons.”
You might recall that last year, The Ordinarie became The Black Lagoon for Halloween; that pop-up has now found a new home at Midnight Oil’s speakeasy while The Ordinarie now becomes The Haunting.
The Haunting will run at The Ordinarie until Nov. 1, after which it will close until Nov. 6, when it reopens as Miracle at The Ordinarie.
So what, exactly, is The Haunting at The Ordinarie?
Debuting this year at participating bars worldwide, The Haunting is Miracle Cocktails Inc.’s first seasonal concept beyond Christmas. It draws on the Halloween many of us grew up with: glowing jack-o’-lanterns, homemade haunted houses, vintage decorations, ghost stories, and horror movies watched well past bedtime.
It is a familiar approach for a company that has spent more than a decade making Christmas cocktails an annual ritual.
Since launching Miracle in 2014, the company says its Christmas concept has reached more than 300 bars worldwide. The Haunting extends that formula into another holiday with its own rich collection of traditions, imagery, and nostalgia.
“After more than a decade, Miracle has become an annual tradition for guests at bars around the world,” said founder Greg Boehm. “The Haunting is the natural next chapter, bringing the same standard of hospitality, storytelling, and collectible traditions to a whole new season. Miracle is no longer just a Christmas brand. It’s a category. The Haunting will be a tradition, just like Miracle already is.”
Vice President and industry veteran Joann Spiegel developed the inaugural cocktail menu, putting drinks at the center of an experience designed to encourage repeat visits. And that is the larger ambition here: to make The Haunting a yearly Halloween gathering place, much as Miracle has become a fixture of the Christmas season.
A look at the cocktails for The Ordinarie’s Haunting takeover…
Wonderfully balanced compared to last year’s Black Lagoon offerings, these are complexly layered, well-crafted drinks that blend boozy, refreshing, poundable, and are-you-sure-this-has-booze?-ness across one menu.
Widow’s Whisper ($18; personal favorite): Vodka | Chocolate | Melon | Lychee | Matcha | Yuzu | Cardamom | Rose | Absinthe
The Severed Sun ($18; personal favorite): Bourbon | Amaro | Elderflower | Sage | Ginger | Acidified grapefruit | Lambrusco
Clown Pear-anoia ($19): Mezcal | Aperitif wine | French bitter | Pear | Fennel | Yogurt | Lemon
What Lies Beneath ($18; personal favorite): Aged rum | Cognac | Spiced ginger | Sweet corn milk
Scream-sicle ($19): Blanco tequila | Spiced vanilla liqueur | Aperitif | Carrot & orange cordial | Habanero | Lemon
Hex Appeal ($19): Gin | Whiskey | Campari | Peanut butter | Pandan | Coconut | Celery | Lemon
Poison Apple ($19): Calvados | Bonded rye whiskey | Fino sherry | Bitter apple | Miso
Liquid Lobotomy ($19): The Haunting rum blend | Falernum | Pumpkin-spiced pineapple | Lime | Aromatic bitters
Tangled Web ($18; personal favorite): Vodka | Ube | Passion fruit | Vanilla | Lemon | Prosecco foam
Pumpkin Payback ($16): Calvados | Ginger | Sage | Lemon (Includes a take-home Haunting shot glass)
Yes, there are spirit-free offerings from The Haunting’s menu at The Ordinarie…
Hollow Threat ($14; personal favorite): Pear | Fennel | Yogurt | White verjus
Spiritless Tomb ($14): Carrot | Orange | Habanero | Ginger beer | Vegan foam
And don’t forget the eats…
Deviled Eggs ($10): Black sesame
Hatch Chile Mac & Cheese ($14): Cavatappi pasta | White cheddar | Crispy onions
Add bacon $5; add short rib $10.
Shrimp & Grits ($18): White cheddar corn grits | Creole butter
Short Rib ($36): Red wine rosemary glaze | Creamy mashed potatoes | Roasted carrots
Butternut Squash Ravioli ($26): Sweet corn velouté | Garlic | Parmesan | Toasted pepitas | Roasted corn | Paprika oil | Sage
Cookie Sundae ($13): Pandan cookie | White chocolate | Vanilla ice cream | Coconut caramel
Pumpkin Pie ($13): Toasted ube marshmallow fluff | Pecan crumble | Vanilla ice cream
The Ordinarie is located at 210 The Promenade N. The Haunting will run through Nov. 1, after which it will close until reopening as Miracle at The Ordinarie on Nov. 6.
