The Cigar Room at Trumpets
The Grand Hyatt
New York, New York
You walk through the foyer to the entrance of the restaurant and see a
slightly incongruous sight, a sign that indicates smoking is
permitted. Is this place for real?
Since the April 1995 New York City ordinance prohibiting smoking of
any kind in most city restaurants, cigar smokers living in or visiting
the city have found it increasingly difficult to savor their smokes in
a friendly dining establishment. Along comes The Cigar Room at
Trumpets, a place where one can eat a meal in peace and embrace the
pleasures of smoking. Take that, city hall.
Situated on the ground floor of The Grand Hyatt New York (adjacent to
Grand Central Station), this cozy restaurant has a decidedly clubby
atmosphere. Frank Sinatra croons over the speakers while ceiling fans
circulate the air. The lights are dim, the paneled walls a
burl-finished walnut; framed paintings of clipper ships dot the
walls. The canvas slip-covered chairs with old-style prints are
comfortable. This adds up to an understated ambience, making one feel
right at home.
The owners of Trumpets designed The Cigar Room exclusively for cigar
smokers, limiting the seating to 34; the new law applies to
restaurants with seating for 35 or more diners. A lounge area is
available behind the bar and an adjacent larger room can be reserved
for private parties. In a nutshell, The Cigar Room at Trumpets is a
haven for cigar smokers.
Once you are seated, the waiter asks if you would like a cigar. While
the restaurant lists four recommendations for pre-dinner cigars, you
can choose from 36 cigars on the room's cigar menu, including
Davidoffs, Avos, Ashtons, Montecristos and Nat Shermans. The prices
are reasonable, although not inexpensive. I chose a Davidoff
Ambassadrice and my companion selected a Nat Sherman Hunter after
learning that the room's five humidors were out of Avos that
evening. Both smokes were smooth and easy on the palate. The waiter
assured us that they would restock the Avos the next day.
Dinner was a relaxed and comfortable experience. The menu is limited
to about six or seven items for each course, but chef Anthony Wall has
created a broad variety of choices. Starting with salad, my friend
chose a generous serving of tossed mesclun greens with goat cheese,
black Calamata olives and red wine vinaigrette. The mellowness of the
cheese perfectly complemented the tang of the olives. My Caesar salad
with sliced focaccia was scrumptuous, although the focaccia itself was
disappointing.
For the main course, we passed on some intriguing seafood dishes,
including the daily special of broiled mahimahi with orange chutney,
instead choosing the roasted free-range chicken and the Angus rib
chop. The latter, the restaurant's signature dish, was a massive
cholesterol-be-damned slab of beef on a bone, coated in a shallot
parsley butter and then broiled. The chop was very tender, juicy and
savory. It was served with garlic mashed potatoes that were a nice
turn on an old stand-by. The roasted free-range chicken with lemon and
garlic was tender and seasoned to perfection with rosemary. However,
the accompanying squash and zucchini were slightly overcooked and
rather bland.
The wine list is very satisfactory, with fair prices. There is a wide
selection of American whites and reds, including picks from Jordan,
Chateau St. Michelle, Kendall Jackson and Opus One wineries. The list
from France and Italy is much more limited, but well-chosen. We
selected a 1987 Château Lynch-Bages Bordeaux. It was smooth,
supple and flavorful, and quite reasonably priced at $45.
Dessert was a great finish to the meal. The dark chocolate cake was
intense but not overwhelming; it had the perfect combination of rich
chocolate and cream that melted on the tongue.
The wait staff at The Cigar Room were very attentive, without being
intrusive. Tiber, our waiter, answered our questions completely and
knowledgeably, as well as cutting and lighting our cigars. In a city
where cigar smokers are often seen as intruders, it is nice to know
there is somewhere where every attempt is made to ensure your comfort.
As we left the restaurant, we knew that we would return to enjoy our
cigars in the peaceful surroundings. Viva fumare!
--Shandana Durrani
The Cigar Room at Trumpets
The Grand Hyatt New York
East 42nd
Street (between Park and Lexington avenues)
Phone: (212)
850-5999
Dinner: approximately $50 per person, without wine or
cigars
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