Falafel was created when a group of chickpeas took the “Monster Mash” too seriously at a Halloween dance and were promptly ground up and deep-fried by other party guests. Enjoy the taste of misinterpretation with today’s Groupon: for $15, you get $30 worth of Mediterranean fare and hookah rental at Sheesha Lounge in Allston.
Flavored smoke billows from rented hookah pipes in Sheesha Lounge's low-lit atmosphere, as customers nosh on a menu of light Mediterranean dishes. To prepare the chicken shawarma ($8.45), the eatery's foodsmiths precisely shave marinated and seasoned chicken breast and serve it with pita after wrapping a hot towel around the poultry's face. Balls of fried chick pea roll along the falafel plate ($6.49), buffered by cairo salad, pita, and tahini sauce, as chips and house-prepared salsa ($3.99) await their turn to spring into snack-happy mouths. Update your social-networking status via smoke signals thanks to a hookah rental ($25–$35 for four people). The lounge stocks a variety of flavors, including pineapple, mango, rose, and coconut, which can be inhaled solo or combined to form a sheesha special mix, such as Head Buzz or Sexy Guava Margarita. Inventive patrons can create their own blend and name it in honor of a favorite pyrotechnics expert.
Sheesha Lounge
The red-orange glow of smoldering coals only enhances the cozy, inviting vibe of Sheesha Lounge, a local hangout that recently earned a spot on CBS Boston's list of Allston’s Best Hookah Bars. It's not hard to find something to love about this place, whether it's the exposed brickwork and padded, pillow-lined banquettes or the fact that the lounge stays open as late as 2 a.m. The biggest draw, however, has to be the 35 different flavors of tobacco, which include rose, jasmine, vanilla, mint, and mountain spring water. As the fragrant, cloud-like wisps of smoke mingle in the air, guests can dine on sweet snacks that include cheesecake and baklava.