Replacing the Cigar Divan |
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In Victorian days any gentleman who couldn't face the tedium of an afternoon's journey from his office in the City to his club in St. James's would stroll down to the Strand to a Cigar Divan. This was not a piece of furniture, but a mixture of tobacconist and lounge, where the chaps would congregate to select and smoke a cigar. They would while away a pleasant hour or so before returning home to their wives and family in the comfort of Kensington or the splendour of Sloane Street Among the earliest and most famous of these divans was Simpson's in the Strand, established in 1828 to serve coffee and cigars. Today it is one of the last truly English restaurants where its origins are not forgotten and the smoking of good cigars is still encouraged. Nowadays the Cigar Bar is replacing the Cigar Divan. These excellent places of leisure and repose are happily springing up all over the country, keeping pace with the popularity of a contemplative Havana.
You cannot go wrong at Che. For light, space and sunshine there is the front bar, for cozy, relaxed intimacy there is the cigar lounge. Downstairs with its magnificent floor-to -ceiling humidor running down one entire wall. Owned by cigar aficionado Hani Farsi, the collection is reputed to run to 14,000 cigars, a choice of over 70 brands and sizes. With books, magazines and all the papers, the lounge is designed to be peaceful, comfortable and insulating. The outside world is definitely far away. A photograph of Che hangs towards the rear of the room, the only art to figure lest attention is drawn from the cigars. They make a wonderful backdrop, as comforting as leather-bound books in a library. Che is the brain-child of Hani Farsi, a self styled American entrepreneur who's love of cigars dates back to his 18th birthday. "Smoking too many cigarettes I simply gave them up and moved over to cigars," he says. "A Davidoff No 2 was the first and since then there is almost nothing I have not tried at one time or another." His father led the way and he embarked on a glorious campaign, smoking alongside him at first and latterly with 1 friends and colleagues. "Smoking with my father was fantastic, it opened my eyes to the role a cigar can play in conversation. " They establish a special bond, and our discussions ranged from sport to politics, from family to history. Sadly he can no longer smoke them, so I smoke for both of us and we talk. His collection has been built up up, sometimes buying at auction, always in boxes as he lived for a time in the US. He is always on the lookout for something new, different, a comparison. "In part that is an element of the spirit behind Che, to encourage customers to something new, something different." To this end he is ably supported by Neil Millington, previously at Havana Club in Sloane Street. With years of experience, Neil is in charge of the cigar cellar and nothing gives him more pleasure than to introduce Smokers to the delights of something untried, or perhaps not smoked for some time. "It is very easy," he says. "to become attracted to one cigar to the detriment of others. For different times, occasions, moods there are different cigars and part of the joy of smoking here is to be able to pick and choose." Che is located in the ground floor of the Economist building, the first Sixties building to be listed. The bar is extremely bright, with huge windows and extensive use of marble . - cool on a summer's evening, spacious when the weather is less clement. Upstairs there is a dining room with more enormous windows on all four sides. You gain access up a narrow escalator. The food at Che is broadly European, with the odd flurry to the Far East by chef Julian Marshall (previously at the Lanesborough)
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Bar Cuba - nicknames Bar Cohiba by many of its regulars - may have made Macclesfield the cigar capital of the northwest, but London is still the most powerful magnet for devoted Havana enthusiasts from all over the world It wasn't all that long ago that lighting a cigar in a London restaurant caused head waiters to pucker their nostrils with indignation. Today they are much more likely to crease with pleasure at the aroma of a fragrant Havana. Indeed, the growing number of cigar friendly venues are growing at such a pace that restaurant guides will soon have to consider an icon to show diners where they can be served a selection of fine cigars to follow the fine wine that accompanied their dinner. |
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As a result the restaurant offers its clientele a full range of cigars from mild Upmanns, to medium powered Romeo Y Julietas, up to a full-strength Bolivars or Cohibas, as well as wide selection of the ever popular Montecristos. One of Scott's sommeliers is particularly well-versed in cigar-lore and can discuss the qualities and service of fine cigars with interested guests. Although the downstairs bar would appear to have been specially designed for the enjoyment of cigars, Edmund Farrow is quick to point out that it is quite fortuitous. Although there are no smoking restrictions at all at Scott's, the bar is especially comfortable and has individual areas to provide some degree of privacy that might be required by gentleman putting a business-deal together over their cigars. There is an Havana Happy Hour in the bar from 10 till 11 in the evening. During this time all cognacs accompanied by cigars are at half price, while the cigars have 30% off. |
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