Wine dinners. Beer dinners. Cigar dinners?

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Smoke 'em if you got 'em--but only after you finish your food.

You've heard of pairing food with wine, beer, cheese, and chocolate, but how about tobacco? Tria in North Oaks, one of the nicest eateries in the northern 'burbs, is following the lead of its sister restaurant, The St. Paul Grill, and hosting a cigar dinner on Tues., Sept. 14.

Remembering the way that cigarette smoke messed with teenage tastebuds and made KFC mashed potatoes taste like moldy cheese, Hot Dish checked in with the folks at Tria to find out more about just what the term cigar dinner meant.

We were quickly reassured that the cigars not smoked with courses, but instead would be enjoyed after the meal out on Tria's patio (which is gorgeous, by the way), and paired with an after dinner spirit. So what sorts of food does one eat to best prepare for enjoying a cigar?

"I chose food that reflects what my perception of a cigar dinner would be, catering mostly to males, big proteins, raw meat, rich and decadent dessert," says Tria's executive chef Brian Bossert. The dessert he's referring to is a "crazy cake," which he describes as a rich, moist chocolate cake with two buttery icings, vanilla and fudge. "Every year my mom used to make it for my birthday," Bossert says. The Cigar Dinner is $45 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Here's what else is on the menu:

-tuna carpaccio with a red wine wasabi reduction, chive oil and wonton chips
-steak house salad with blue cheese, grape tomatoes and croutons
-16oz tomahawk ribeye with au gratin potatoes and a popover.
-Crazy Cake and buttermilk ice cream