David Bazzano, 18, a University of Bridgeport student., enjoys a puff on a mango-flavored hookah.
(Credit: David Paulsen)
"It's what we do back home," Rajeh said, which for him means Syria. "You eat, relax, drink tea and you smoke the hookah."
Most evenings, you can find people puffing tobacco smoke from tall hookah pipes and relaxing in Meditteranea's dimly lit back room. Benches along the brick walls are covered with blankets and pillows, and Middle Eastern music sets the tone.
Smoking the hookah is a Middle Eastern cultural pastime, though across the United States many non-Mideasterners have discovered it as well at lounges like the one at Mediterranea.
They say it’s a good way to relax and spend time with friends.
"Because it lasts so long, you really have nothing else to do other than get to know the person that's smoking with you," said Noel Lewis, a 22-year-old Hamden resident, who was sharing a pipe on a recent evening with fellow University of Bridgeport student David Bazzano.
For those unfamiliar with hookah smoking, here are a few basic details you should know.
What is hookah?
In Middle Eastern countries, smoking the hookah - a mixture of tobacco, fruit and honey - is a common leisure activity at parks, cafes and at home with friends and family, Rajeh said. It often is smoked after dinner with tea.
How does it work?
The hookah pipe features a tall neck stemming from a water-filled base. A bowl at the top is filled with the tobacco mixture, covered with porous foil and topped with bits of charcoal, which are ignited. Smokers puff on hoses coming from the base to draw the smoke down the pipe and through the water to cool it.
How long does it last?
At Mediterranea in New Haven, $18 will get you a pipe with enough tobacco to last about an hour or more, depending on how many people are smoking. The tobacco comes in numerous flavors, including apple, grape, mango, strawberry, mint and coffee. Call Mediterranea at 203-624-0589 for reservations or more information.
Are there any health concerns?
You don't have to inhale the smoke of the hookah. It often is smoked like a cigar, by puffing just enough into the mouth to get the flavor before blowing out, though some health risks remain.
Some enthusiasts who inhale the smoke note that the tobacco, typically imported from the Middle East, isn't as harsh as the stuff you'd find in cigarettes, and that the pipe’s water filters the smoke. But health experts say the hookah can be just as dangerous as cigarettes, so smoke at your own risk.
Mediterranea
140 Orange St., New Haven
203-624-0589
Mon.-Thu., 11 a.m.-midnight, Fri.-Sat., 11 a.m.-2 a.m.
Add a comment