Smoke 'em 'cause we got 'em

Puffs of smoke rise to the ceiling and quickly fill the air with a sweet aroma.

The flame is an intentional one here - small and contained indoors to light the end of Armando Leal's Kahlua Corona cigar.

It's time to sit back and relax for the Odessa man, as he breathes and tastes the full experience of the flavored, fermented tobacco on a Friday night.

The cigar is not only satisfying to Leal, but the place he's smoking it is one of a kind.

Beyond the dining areas of Sid & Sam's Original Steakhouse and past its mood-lit bar lounge hangs a heavy curtain drawn against an opening in the back wall - behind it lies many men's paradise.

The cigar room at Sid & Sam's mixes the smell of leather with the full blend of tobacco fragrance - the dark wood trim, decorative lighting and comfortable red-leather chairs bestow a feeling of ease and comfort for all who enter.

And that's exactly what restaurant co-owner and chef Jay Robinson had in mind when he and Odessa buddies designed the safe haven of cigar delight.

After buying the location in September 2006, they quickly went to task, remodeling the steakhouse and bar for "just the right feel." Cigars became a natural extension of that design when the friends lit up to celebrate the project's completion, although none of them smoked regularly.

"It was a celebration thing," Robinson said. "Somebody said, ‘for this project, we need some really good cigars.' "
The back room soon became a sort of hidden hangout for the group, which gathered for card games and smoking stogies.

"We were thinking, this would be a really good place to hang out - the hard part was to decide if we put a door to let the public in," Robinson said.

With busy schedules and little time for relaxation, the 49-year-old man and his friends don't occupy the cigar room that often anymore. Instead, customers can retreat to the sanctuary of select cigars after enjoying the restaurant's specialty steak and a strong drink from the bar.

A flat-screen TV entertains the room's visitors and a double guillotine-style cutter rests on an end table - ready to unveil the freshness of each cigar's flavor, which is kept intact by the freestanding humidor.

A copy of Jane Resnick's "International Connoisseur's Guide to Cigars" advises first-timers or sparks conversation among experienced smokers looking for a new smoke.

Robinson said Sid & Sam's provides a good variety of cigars in the room - from the soft flavor of the Monte Cristo No. 3 and Trinidads to the sweet feel of the Kahlua Corona. He personally enjoys smoking a nice Cohiba.

"It's a very smooth cigar - very rich," he said.

 Dustin Harris, co-owner of The Hemmingway at 3952 E. 42nd St., said he thinks cigar smoking is a growing trend, and he's seen growth at his Odessa business over the past four years.

"You have clientele that have been smoking cigars for a long time, and they're pretty constant;

 then they influence family and friends to try it - I think it's something that catches on," he said.

The key to loving cigars, though, is starting soft and mild, Harris said, because a smoke with too much body may turn newbies off of the experience.

"The first time they want a pleasurable, enjoyable experience - not something that will ruin their taste buds all day," he said.

After all, Morris said, cigar smoking is about enjoying the ride and forgetting about life's headaches.

"It's more of an idea that you can sit down and relax, smoke a cigar and enjoy the flavor - just slow down and let the stress roll off of you," he said.

Robinson said Sid & Sam's cigar room conveys that stress-free idea. The room does have clocks - six of them, to be exact - but the hands are each stopped lifeless at various times.

"We're not into time back there," he said. "We want people to forget that they're in West Texas, and instead, feel like they're in an oasis in the desert."

Waitress Jennifer Ray said the steakhouse's cigar room is a big hit for those who know it's there. The environment and feel properly conveys her boss's plan to provide customers with the complete steakhouse experience.

"He wants you to get lost in time in here - just relax and enjoy yourself," she said.