RESTAURANT'S NEW OWNERS TO BE GIVEN LIQUOR LICENSE.

Byline: Alex Dobuzinskis Staff Writer

BURBANK - The new owners of Gitana restaurant, a once-troubled night spot in downtown Burbank, will be granted a liquor license to operate the pared-down establishment.

But officials of the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, who expect to issue the license within the week, have added limits to the license to avoid any repeat of past problems.

The restaurant, at 260 E. Magnolia Blvd, cannot offer dancing or happy hours, cannot require a cover charge or drink minimums and must limit live entertainment to a guitarist or trio, according to license terms.

Burbank officials ``wanted to make sure it was a restaurant, not a nightclub-type operation, hence the conditions,'' said Tim Clark, district administrator for the ABC. The Burbank City Council revoked Gitana's permit to operate as a nightclub, sports bar and billiard parlor in October, after police responded to the business more than 70 times in less than a year.

Gitana lost its liquor license on Feb. 13, when the previous owner, ADRD Inc., canceled it in the course of an ownership transfer.

When new owner Joseph Georges and his wife, Odette, sought to transfer the license from another restaurant he had owned, city officials objected.

The city cited a Jan. 16 incident when police were called to Gitana because of a fight and found that an event with charged admission was happening there. The Georgeses' son was operating the business at that time, according to the city.

Police and the city withdrew those objections, however, after the Georges agreed to the stricter conditions.

Georges could not be reached for comment. He previously owned Middle East Connection at 916 W. Burbank Blvd.

``I'm certainly open to giving them another chance, but we'll have to be very careful and watch them closely,'' said City Councilman Jef Vander Borght.

Alex Dobuzinskis, [phone]

alex.dobuzinskis(at)dailynews.com