Cigar lovers light up at El Gaucho (Upscale WA State restaurant challenges smoking ban)

The News Tribune (Tacoma) ^ | February 23, 2010 | C.R. Roberts

[Stoat]

(edit)

Closed after a 2005 state law banned public indoor smoking, the cigar lounge at Tacoma’s upscale El Gaucho steakhouse has reopened.

Smoking a Dominica-wrapped Romeo y Julieta Habana Reserve inside the newly branded “VIP Lounge” on Monday, El Gaucho owner Paul Mackay said that he and a trio of Cohiba-loving cohorts have met state regulations and now welcome certain cigar smokers to puff away four nights a week.

The lounge has been open for nearly two weeks without complaint to the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.

For Mackay, the decision to refurbish and open the room was as much a matter of principle as it was simply a matter of enjoying a good smoke among friends and like-minded inhalers.

The reaction from smokers? “The guests are so happy – the ones who used to be here,” Mackay said.

After spending $100,000 to build the original lounge eight years ago, Mackay said he has invested a further $15,000 in redesigning the space to meet state law – which is enforced by the county health authority.

The next move, Mackay said, is theirs.

(edit)

Mackay said he decided last year to challenge the state regulation.

“It just got me upset,” he said. “Here we are trying to stay alive, and they keep dumping new rules, regulations and taxes on us. I looked at it – we rolled over, and it’s not that strong of a law. There is a crack that goes right through it. We ended up with attorneys, structured a walk through the maze of the law, found that crack and wove through it.”

(edit)

[Stoat]

My apologies for the severe editing of this article...this was done in order to remain in compliance with Free Republic rules pertaining to the posting of articles from the Tacoma News Tribune. Please click on the main article link to see the full story.

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Dean J. Koepfler   The News Tribune

Paul Mackay, owner of El Gaucho in Tacoma, enjoys a Romeo y Julieta Habana Reserve cigar in the VIP Lounge at the restaurant Monday. Mackay spent $15,000 creating a glassed-in ramp leading to the cigar lounge that serves as a airlock, part of his efforts to circumvent a state law banning smoking in the workplace

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A related article that may also be of interest:

New lounge brings cigars in from cold

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/02/24/1083769/new-lounge-brings-cigars-in-from.html?storylink=mirelated

 

The new VIP Lounge at El Gaucho in Tacoma is open only to invited guests.

[Stoat]

[albie]

“structured a walk through the maze of the law, found that crack and wove through it.”

...good for him! That’s the way it’s done! The American capitalist spirit is alive and well with this guy!

[saganite]

I hope the guy can keep his lounge open but the anti smoking Nazis never rest. I suspect they will have new restrictions in hand soon that will shut him down. Which is too bad, I love a good cigar.

[Stoat]

El Gaucho

http://www.elgaucho.com/elgaucho/

 

 

[boop]

They tried to keep the lounge open at El Gaucho in Seattle by just paying the fines, but the Nazis threatened their liquor license, so they shut it down.

[rbosque]

Nothing like a good cigar!

[DemforBush]

Smoking a Dominica-wrapped Romeo y Julieta Habana Reserve

Looks like a good smoke, but then, I always smoked Swisher Sweets back in college, so I ain't exactly an authority. :-)

[Ramius]

The El Gaucho in Seattle is one of the best restaurants in the city. Have had a fine steak there... and a cigar in the cigar lounge but that was before the smoking ban.

There’s an upscale cigar lounge up at the Snoqualmie casino too. Nice. Of course the Indians get their own laws different from everybody else.

[dead]

In New Jersey, they banned smoking everywhere food or drinks are served - even private clubs!

The lone exception is the casinos in Atlantic City - the only group whose pockets are deep enough to pay a large enough tribute to enough state legislators.

[ETL]

[Proud_USA_Republican]

Love the downtown El Gaucho. Great food and some of the best steaks in town. Great service. And the live jazz room downstairs on weekends is one of my longtime loves of this city.
Their cigar room was one of the best in the state and its great to hear they found ways around the nazi anti-tobacco ban which crushed many businesses in this state. Good for them.

[GauchoUSA]

I love the name...

[GauchoUSA]

By the name I gather we’re talking about an Argentinian steakhouse. They’re good with their meat

[dragnet2]

I quit smoking cigars....

They got way too expensive.

[sionnsar]

Thanks to Stoat for the ping.

Say WA? Evergreen State ping

Quick link: WA State Board

FReepmail sionnsar if you want on or off this ping list.
Ping sionnsar if you see a Washington state related thread.

[Keith Brown]

Cigar Ping!!!

[Clemenza]

Thanks. I used to live a few blocks from El Gaucho, and regularly came there to smoke with friends. They have pretty good steak as well.