Hookah lounge opens in Scranton

Exhale Hookah Lounge and Kabob Grill (136 Wyoming Avenue, Scranton).

Info: exhale-hookah@hotmail.com, 570.955.0250

Brothers Mohammad and Shoaib Tajak have always wanted to open their own hookah lounge. That wish finally came true for the Afghani brothers this month when Exhale Hookah Lounge and Kabob Grill opened its doors for the first time.

“It is a unique experience that you won’t find anywhere else in the city,” Shoaib explains while sitting in a dimly lit corner, reflecting upon his new business venture. “While in here we want you to let go of everything.”

Letting go of everything is easy to do in this place. To the sound of contemporary Middle Eastern music and a faint hint of fruit and spices lingering in the air, Mohammad and Shoaib sat down with the Weekender to talk about their new business, their lives as refuges and their hopes for the future.

Born in Kandahar, Afghanistan, Mohammad, 32, and brother Shoaib, 24, graduates of Penn State and Temple universities, were born in wartorn Afghanistan in the 1980s at a time of soviet occupation. Before settling in their current Clarks Summit residence, the brothers lived as refugees in Pakistan. With the help of a relative, they came to the United States in the early 1990s and adapted to their new homes, bringing with them the traditions and customs of their homeland.

Mohammad recalls when he was a child and his mother and aunts smoked hookah — a tobacco water-pipe that has been popular in the Middle East for centuries — while at social events and family gatherings. “It brought people together for a good conversation,” he says. The memories left an indelible impression on the young Afghani, and would later be the inspiration for his lounge.

The brothers adhere to “melmastia,” a Pashto word meaning “hospitality,” and try to integrate their beliefs about courtesy into their business.

“If you go around to some of these different restaurants, you will notice that there is no human interaction,” Shoaib explains. “But our culture and our heritage are built upon hospitality.”

In recent years, hookah bars and lounges have been gaining popularity in the United States. However, the custom dates back to 16th century India, when European travelers and tradesman introduced tobacco into the country. It did not take long for the smoking custom to spread throughout the Middle East, while morphing into the more familiar practice which is popular today.

Smoking hookah is a simple way to relax and interact with other people, but the process of how the hookah pipes work is far more complex than how the average cigarette functions. The bowl is filled with tobacco and covered with a small screen. A piece of burning coal is placed on top of the screen. When the smoker inhales, a fruit paste purifies the smoke and adds additional flavors. The smoke travels through water, which purifies it again, before the reaching the mouthpiece at the other end. Smokers receive their own individualized mouthpiece.

The result is a complex taste which adds texture and flavor to the smoker’s palate. As the smoke travels through the throat and mouth, it leaves a subtle fruity aftertaste, which feels lighter than a tobacco pipe, cigar or cigarette. The burning coal can take up to an hour to burn out, leaving plenty of time to sip tea or talk to friends in the meantime.

Exhale Hookah Lounge and Kabob Grill offers a full catering service, call-ins and a buffet. Patrons can chose between a plethora of authentic Middle Eastern cuisine, vegetarian, meat dishes or desserts.

“Nothing is frozen, and everything is made fresh,” Shoaib says. “When you taste the food you can taste the difference.”

The interior and d�cor have all been handmade by relatives of Mohammad and Shoaib. The pillows that line the seats are hand-stitched, while the scenic watercolor paintings that hang on the wall were created by a chef who works at the lounge. All of the employees seem to contribute equally, as they try to make their new business a success. The idea, as articulated by Mohammad, is to “get the people in here and show them what we have.”

Starting a business in the midst of a difficult economic climate is not easy, but for a family who has survived war and displacement, the prospect may not be as hard as it seems.

For Mohammad and Shoaib, opening a hookah lounge in downtown Scranton is just another way for them to share their traditions with friends and patrons alike, while providing a unique dining experience for those hungry to try something new.

“There are a lot of economic factors we have to keep in mind,” Shoaib says, “but profit isn’t the only motive. There is so much more. We’ve got to bring something different to this area which people never experienced before.”

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