Born in Bosnia, Lejla Borovac came to the United States with her family in the early ’90s to escape war. She studied marine biology at UCSC but says she ultimately found her calling in hospitality. Her industry career began locally in several restaurants in various front-of-house positions, and from there progressed to living and working in both San Francisco and New York City. Borovac then went back to school for an MBA and a year ago opened Hook & Line along with business partner and chef Santos Majano, the mastermind of the kitchen.
A seven-year manifestation from idea to reality, Borovac says their restaurant is a passion project and a great way to dovetail her love for hospitality and the environment. She defines it as a modern California seafood eatery in a space perfectly embodying that, oceanic tile complementing clean design with dark furniture set against white walls and intentionally subtle nautical décor. Featuring mostly local seafood with culturally eclectic preparations, Borovac says best apps are the lemongrass mussels with fries in coconut fish broth and stone crab claws (the most sustainable local kind) paired with sesame sweet chili aioli.
Highlighted mains are local black cod with spring garlic and caper butter sauce and squid fried rice with roasted asparagus. Hook & Line also offers a popular raw bar, with several types of oysters on the half-shell and rotating ceviches like the current halibut leche de tigre. Dessert favorites include sponge cake with macerated strawberries and the chocolate torte with dulce de leche and Chantilly cream.
Tell me about chef Majano’s background.
LEJLA BOROVAC: He comes from a farming family in El Salvador, where he developed a deep reverence and passion for local seasonal ingredients. His 20-plus years in the restaurant industry includes Michelin star level restaurants. He was the executive chef in the same space before us, and has come back full circle to open his own restaurant and fulfill a lifelong dream to showcase his own cuisine.
Detail the inspiration behind your bar program.
We feature a lot of amaros and vermouths and incorporate them into many of our cocktail recipes. These spirits are renowned for pairing well with seafood. Our beverage program also showcases small production spirits, seasonal cocktails, craft beers and organic/biodynamic wines produced with minimal intervention.
105 Walnut Ave., Santa Cruz, 831-225-0434; eathookandline.com
