The hookah craze is picking up steam again-in an Italian restaurant, of all places. Thursday night is Mediterranean night at Pazzo’s in the NBC Tower. “Can you believe it’s our busiest night?” says manager Jaser Askar. As the house band’s violin maestro, Anton Shamon, fervently plays Middle Eastern melodies, transporting you to distant casbahs, a waiter sweeps in with an array of 2-foot-high hookahs, curvaceous affairs of glass, crystal and stainless steel. One recent night, at least eight hookahs were in play, with friends communally puffing from the same source via individual mouthpieces. Tobacco choices include apple, peach or apricot flavors. All go great with calamari.
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Where else to experience the hookah, at roughly $15-$16 a setup: Cafe Hookah, 726 Clark St., Evanston-clientele: collegians. Juliana’s, 3001 W. Peterson-clientele: over-35. Tizi Meloul, 531 N. Wells St.-clientele: young urbans. Pazzo’s clientele? Young urbans mixed in with a few tycoons.
