I'm not the type of guy who falls in love easily, but I may have swooned the other night at Rock N' Hookah, a chic Middle Eastern lounge perfectly positioned near the entrance of Seminole Paradise at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (1 Seminole Way, Hollywood).

I was mesmerized by Vanessa from the moment I sauntered into this nightspot. Picture a fitness model sporting Princess Leia's metallic bikini and undulating in a way that basically defies physics. Now picture her balancing a large sword on her head while swallowing fire. What's there not to love?

Vanessa bellydances every Friday and Saturday night from 11:30 until 2 a.m. The equally skilled and stunning Samara shakes and shimmies on the same nights from 8:30 until 11:30.

But the members of this dynamic duo aren't the only ones to get their groove on. Patrons spontaneously pop out of their seats and boogie to the mix of Arabic and Latin beats. The rhythmically challenged (yours truly) shouldn't feel self conscious because people are too engrossed in their own good time to notice two left feet. And don't be surprised if a stranger grabs your hand and pulls you into a Dabkeh, a traditional Middle Eastern dance in which participants form a circle and step and then crouch in time to the music.

Occasionally, I review a bar with an inadequate sound system but that certainly isn't the case here. It's as if the entire network of amps and speakers from Madison Square Garden were hidden behind the walls; you literally need a megaphone if you want to engage in conversation. Audiophiles, however, will be amazed at the crispness of each note.

Instead of talking, people keep busy with ample servings of authentic Middle Eastern cuisine, beer, wine and, of course, Turkish coffee (like Cuban coffee on steroids). The bartender poured me a glass of Chateau Kefraya, a Lebanese red wine. I'm not usually a fan of the boldness of most red wines, but these flavors were subtle and tasty. It's available by the bottle for $52.

If you care to puff from a hookah, it will run you -- depending on the flavor -- $20 or $25. Most hookah joints offer a list of 15 flavors, including the run-of-the-mill cherry, peach and strawberry. But at Rock N' Hookah, surely the Baskin-Robbins of tasty tobaccos, you can choose from 75 flavors. Try the mojito, bubble gum or apple martini.

Passersby on their way to poker tables frequently peer through the windows to see what they're missing. Once they shift their focus from the belly dancers, they'll notice the spacious rectangular room outfitted to resemble a dining hall of an Arabian palace. Rows of tables and chairs fill the center, and chocolate-colored couches, separated by maroon drapes, line the perimeter. An antique-looking chandelier, adorned with flowing earth-toned fabrics, hangs from the center.

Rock N' Hookah stays open until 2 a.m. during the week and 4 a.m. on weekends (the kitchen closes an hour earlier). Reservations are accepted and strongly suggested for Friday and Saturday nights, so call 954-584-3303 at the beginning of the week. I plan to return to this hookah haven, but first may take a few belly dancing lessons because as of now, I probably have a better chance of pulling a royal straight flush than I have at impressing any bellydancing beauties with my chicken dance.

UPCOMING

High Tolerance plays Friday on the patio at Knight Time Billiards at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. Show starts at 9:30 p.m. No cover.

ABSU, Rumplestiltskin Grinder, Sothis and Thrash or Die play at the Culture Room Saturday. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and tickets are $14.99.

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