The smoke seems to have cleared on the restaurant smoking ban, as the General Assembly approved a compromise measure two weeks ago. As of press time, Governor Tim Kaine has yet to sign the bill, but we’ll likely be smoke-free starting December 1. Exceptions in the final legislation allow smoking in separate ventilated rooms, on most outdoor patios (please, someone add more ashtrays along the mall) and in private clubs. We wondered how private clubs felt about this, so we asked Charlottesville Elks Lodge #389 manager Kevin McCartney if he expected membership at the Elks (which is, let’s just say, relatively dirt cheap compared to private clubs such as Farmington and Glenmore) to increase now that smokers are out of luck in the public spaces.
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“I don’t really know,” says McCartney. “We’ve had the same smoking policy for the last five years.”
That policy permits smoking in a bar area of the lodge, but prohibits it in the rest of the dining areas as well as during the lodge’s weekly bingo events. “New members have been pleasantly surprised about that,” says McCartney.
McCartney has been in the industry since the 1970s and has managed several local and regional private clubs, including Farmington for eight years prior to his gig with the Elks. The changes in smoking habits and policies during that time are less a reflection of legislation than a change in the norms of personal politeness, says McCartney, who happens to be a smoker himself.
“People who are adamant about being able to smoke anywhere are fewer and fewer,” says McCartney, who adds that in his experience, private clubs in Virginia have been ahead of the game and much more restrictive on smoking than public places. An Elks Lodge he managed previous to #389 went entirely nonsmoking during his tenure.
A call to Farmington revealed that the club’s smoking policy is equally if not more restrictive. Smoking is permitted only in the “Men’s Grill.” And yes, that’s men only.
New Aroma’s turns 1
Restaurantarama has noticed a recent phenomenon in our local establishments: really friendly service. REALLY friendly service. From hosts and wait staff to chefs and owners, we’re getting especially hearty thanks for our business in the midst of this blistery weather and frigid financial climate. Owners, in particular, are conspicuously more present on the floor these days (take our recent story on the return of Tim Burgess and Vincent Derquenne to Bang’s kitchen as just one example).
An incredibly attentive restaurateur you’ll notice is Aroma’s Café’s Hassan Kaisoum. But he’s always been that way—greeting every customer, many by name, several with hugs, since he first opened Aroma’s in the Fontaine Research Park almost 10 years ago.
Last week, Aroma’s Café celebrated its first anniversary as a full-service restaurant in the Barracks Road Shopping Center, and Kaisoum is just as present as ever, coming in seven days a week to make all of the sauces, stocks and specials.
“I just make honest, clean, fresh food. I have to thank the customers for my success,” says Kaisoum.
And he literally does thank his customers each and every time they visit. Look for Kaisoum to launch a signature line of dressings and sauces such as the spicy habiba in bottles for purchase at the restaurant in the next month.
