Dining in the Dark
Dining in the Dark is one of those experiences that when first mentioned gets a "What? Dining in the dark? What is that?"
Dining in the dark is exactly what it sounds like...you eat in a pitch black setting, and when I say pitch black, I mean pitch black. No eye adjusting to the setting, nothing. You can't see your own hand in front of your face.
Why, you may ask, would someone want to subject themselves to such a potentially messy meal? Well, the creators of this experience would say that people don't really know how to enjoy food anymore. We have lost touch with the inherent goodness and flavors of the food we eat. By deleting our visual senses, we awaken the taste.
Finding places that do this sort of thing is a bit difficult, but luckily in Los Angeles you can find just about anything you are looking for. Opaque was my dining in the dark destination. Featured on the Travel Channel and other publications, they did not fail to impress.
All the wait staff is blind, which is how they are able to so capably prepare their customers, and serve them. Everyone holds hands when walking into the room, each individual item is shown by hand, i.e., "I am placing your water glass by the wall, here it is" as they place your hand on the water glass.
I must admit, I had a bit of a panic in this room at first, which was unexpected. How many of us, when we truly think about it, have been in a situation that was truly pitch black, meaning, NO LIGHT TO SPEAK OF. It is disconcerting, but I quickly got over the discomfort factor and began to enjoy the promised experience of a heightened awarness of the meal.
This experience was so powerful, that weeks later I believe I can recall every aspect of the meal in detail, as follows:
A cherry tomato stuffed with cheese as a starter
Salad with beets, onion, cucumber, a vinaigrette, and a small bite of prosciutto and melon (wonderful!)
Chicken with garlic broccoli and chicken-broth rice, drizzled with a sort of pesto tasting sauce
Panna cotta with strawberries and a delicious little sweet crostini
This menu may sound dull, but when you think about the mystery of placing an unknown element in your mouth and experiencing the adventure and suprise of discovering what it is, you see how this could be an amazing thing. Which it was. I felt like I was rediscovering things I eat on a regular basis. I would do it again...next time I want to get the Filet Mignon...
And a big thanks to my sister who treated me to this dinner!
Dining in the dark is exactly what it sounds like...you eat in a pitch black setting, and when I say pitch black, I mean pitch black. No eye adjusting to the setting, nothing. You can't see your own hand in front of your face.
Why, you may ask, would someone want to subject themselves to such a potentially messy meal? Well, the creators of this experience would say that people don't really know how to enjoy food anymore. We have lost touch with the inherent goodness and flavors of the food we eat. By deleting our visual senses, we awaken the taste.
Finding places that do this sort of thing is a bit difficult, but luckily in Los Angeles you can find just about anything you are looking for. Opaque was my dining in the dark destination. Featured on the Travel Channel and other publications, they did not fail to impress.
All the wait staff is blind, which is how they are able to so capably prepare their customers, and serve them. Everyone holds hands when walking into the room, each individual item is shown by hand, i.e., "I am placing your water glass by the wall, here it is" as they place your hand on the water glass.
I must admit, I had a bit of a panic in this room at first, which was unexpected. How many of us, when we truly think about it, have been in a situation that was truly pitch black, meaning, NO LIGHT TO SPEAK OF. It is disconcerting, but I quickly got over the discomfort factor and began to enjoy the promised experience of a heightened awarness of the meal.
This experience was so powerful, that weeks later I believe I can recall every aspect of the meal in detail, as follows:
A cherry tomato stuffed with cheese as a starter
Salad with beets, onion, cucumber, a vinaigrette, and a small bite of prosciutto and melon (wonderful!)
Chicken with garlic broccoli and chicken-broth rice, drizzled with a sort of pesto tasting sauce
Panna cotta with strawberries and a delicious little sweet crostini
This menu may sound dull, but when you think about the mystery of placing an unknown element in your mouth and experiencing the adventure and suprise of discovering what it is, you see how this could be an amazing thing. Which it was. I felt like I was rediscovering things I eat on a regular basis. I would do it again...next time I want to get the Filet Mignon...
And a big thanks to my sister who treated me to this dinner!
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