If smoking fruit-flavored herbs out of a water pipe appeal to you, you might soon get your hookah fix in New Haven.
The Board of Zoning Appeals decided to let two guys go ahead with their plan to open La Sheesh on Chapel Street, the New Haven Independent reports.
Despite Chairperson Cathy Weber’s dislike of the word “herbs,” the board hooked up the prospective hookah bar owners. Ajuim Khan and Zahed Satwar plan to offer nicotine-free, tobacco-free smoking, the Independent reports.
While hookah bars might not be as prominent as Dunkin’ Donuts, La Sheesh will not be the state’s first hookah bar. It’s not even the first one in New Haven.
Mediterranea Restaurant & Café, on Orange Street, has hookahs and serves flavors including watermelon, strawberry, pineapple, coconut and mixed fruits.
There’s a SKY Hookah Lounge on Kings Highway East in Fairfield. According to SKY’s Facebook page, the grand opening was in May and included belly dancing and fresh fruit hookahs.
Even West Hartford Center has a hookah bar, but you would never know from walking by. Shish Kebab House of Afghanistan serves hookahs. Flavors range from bubblegum to jasmine.
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There’s also the Olive Tree Hookah Lounge in Milford, which has had its battles with the local health department, which was concerned about the health aspects of smoking.
For $18 to $20, a couple can share herbs out of a water pipe for half an hour at La Sheesh, according to the Independent.
