Dining in the Dark?
By babyanna
@babyanna (1216)
China
August 10, 2011 10:20am CST
Hi,my dear fellow Mylotters!
I was just reading an article on MSN.So there is one restaurant called Opaque in America.Customers there are led into the restaurant by visually impaired or blind employees to dine in the dark.It says that the absence of light allows the senses to spring into action,enhancing the smell and taste.
It reminded me of one episode in CSI.I forgot which one it was.There was one famous guy dining in the same kind of restaurants with two girls and he ended up dead.The murderer is one of the waiters there.He killed that guy because he wanted revenge on his ex-girlfriend who is also the manager of the restaurant.
At that time,I thought the idea of opening this kind of restaurants fancy.I didn't know there is one.
So will you go to this kind of restaurants if you have a chance?Or would you be afraid that you might get stolen or something since you can't see a thing there?
Waiting for your thoughts~
I was just reading an article on MSN.So there is one restaurant called Opaque in America.Customers there are led into the restaurant by visually impaired or blind employees to dine in the dark.It says that the absence of light allows the senses to spring into action,enhancing the smell and taste.
It reminded me of one episode in CSI.I forgot which one it was.There was one famous guy dining in the same kind of restaurants with two girls and he ended up dead.The murderer is one of the waiters there.He killed that guy because he wanted revenge on his ex-girlfriend who is also the manager of the restaurant.
At that time,I thought the idea of opening this kind of restaurants fancy.I didn't know there is one.
So will you go to this kind of restaurants if you have a chance?Or would you be afraid that you might get stolen or something since you can't see a thing there?
Waiting for your thoughts~2 people like this
13 responses
@jricky1 (6800)
• China
11 Aug 11
To be honest,i'm interested about such kind of restaurant,and there are some mysteries in it,i suppose.Cause such kind of restaurant has been reported ,so maybe there wouldn't be such problems as being stolen or something others.It's kind of romantic and we could more concertrate on the taste of the food and its recipe.
2 people like this
@babyanna (1216)
• China
11 Aug 11
Hi,jricky~
Yeah,it does give us the opportunity to solely focus on the taste.On the official website of the LA one,it says that "if you have bags it is recommended that you check them with our hostesses as you will not need them in the dark dining room".So yeah,I guess it would be safe.
On the official website of the LA one,it says that "if you have bags it is recommended that you check them with our hostesses as you will not need them in the dark dining room".So yeah,I guess it would be safe.
@keithgwapz (188)
• Philippines
10 Aug 11
i have not seen the restaurant personally but i have seen them at hells kitchen where in chef ram dinned in with the winning chef girls.. chef ram told them that the dinning the dark room will enhance their senses as what you have said... i would love to try this kind of restaurant, believe, the restaurant is safe place since it has been featured over hells kitchen...
1 person likes this
),and apparently the US version is based on the UK version.
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
11 Aug 11
I've heard of this restaurant concept,and I'm wondering what that dining experience would really be like...I mean,regular restaurants rely a lot on the appearance of the food and the presentation of the dishes,making sight an important part of the experience...but at the same time,I do get that the taste is what's important!
1 person likes this
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
11 Aug 11
I'd also wonder,if you never actually get to see your surroundings inside the place,does that mean interior designers and furnishers get left out of the design of the place? Fancily designed comfy chairs,decor,and table Cloths might not be needed if you can't see it..and you might not even feel the need to dress up to go out for dinner if nobody could see what you're wearing! A Totally minimalistic take on food service...it's all about the food,not what's going on around you..Do sighted staff get to wear night vision goggles as part of their uniform?!
@babyanna (1216)
• China
11 Aug 11
Hi,ShepherdSpy~
I like to see the interior decorations of the restaurants.That's something can add my interest in some certain dining places.But who knows,maybe because of that,we don't really rely on the taste.It would be good to solely focus on the food's taste under the premise that it does taste good.
@oindy54 (3445)
• India
10 Aug 11
Hi,
The idea surely is an extremely innovative one!I have never heard of such a restaurant before in any part of the world.Admitting that I do not live in America,I would still be curious to visit such a restaurant at least once in my life.Since it is a reputed place I would not be too much afraid of anything getting stolen yet at the same time I would not wear any gold or expensive jewellery and would take may be a small clutch along which I would keep in my lap and be alert that no one snatches away in the darkness!I would order foods whose aroma I am acquainted with and would first feel the food and smell it to guess if it is fresh and then eat it.However the absence of light would be a negative in the sense that I would not be able to see the person whom I would be going along with to the restaurant,may be my boyfriend or family members.I would only hear their voices.And I hope I would not drop the cutlery or expensive plates or glasses in the dark!!Nevertheless I am surely curious about paying at least one visit to such a "dark" restaurant once in my lifetime if given the opportunity!Thankfully I do not have enemies who would bother to murder me unlike what happened to the guy in the CSI episode!
I would order foods whose aroma I am acquainted with and would first feel the food and smell it to guess if it is fresh and then eat it.However the absence of light would be a negative in the sense that I would not be able to see the person whom I would be going along with to the restaurant,may be my boyfriend or family members.I would only hear their voices.And I hope I would not drop the cutlery or expensive plates or glasses in the dark!!Nevertheless I am surely curious about paying at least one visit to such a "dark" restaurant once in my lifetime if given the opportunity!Thankfully I do not have enemies who would bother to murder me unlike what happened to the guy in the CSI episode!1 person likes this
@allknowing (136100)
• India
11 Aug 11
I would not like to go to such restaurants as whenever I choose a place it is more for the ambience than anything else. Also I would certainly like to see what is being served. Something that looks good is said to taste better!
1 person likes this
@allknowing (136100)
• India
11 Aug 11
I have attended some cooking classes where there was a special class on food presentation not without reason I suppose!
@babyanna (1216)
• China
11 Aug 11
Hi,allknowing~
Yeah,ambience plays a big role when I choose where I would go to eat.Dining in the dark is just some experience I would like to experience.Haha.The vision of the food does affect the taste.But I guess if the food tastes really good,it won't matter how it looks like.Just my thought.Hehe.
The vision of the food does affect the taste.But I guess if the food tastes really good,it won't matter how it looks like.Just my thought.Hehe.
@metahelly (42)
• Romania
10 Aug 11
I like experiencing new things so if I will have the opportunity to do this I will certainly do it. It's true indeed that when one of your senses disappear the other senses become more sharp and due to this I think you can enjoy your lunch a lot, although I'm curios how you read the menu.
1 person likes this
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
11 Aug 11
I'm guessing here that you'd have to do your ordering before you actually went in to the restaurant
@skysuccess (8858)
• Singapore
10 Aug 11
babyanna,
I believe as any business owner, I am sure one would be meticulous with one's business plan before even acting on it.
To be honest, this special theme restaurant is not new and has already caught on with a few countries already. Although, there might be some difference in the way that it is being run, I have to say that it is not really that popular and the novelty just does not last.
I had visited this theme restaurant in Taipei, Taiwan and though it was quite refreshing as a first visit, I just did not fancy a second. I do not know what others might see or fancy but I do not like not being able to see my food when it is served. For a start, I am sure all of us would have encountered having had some unpleasant additions on our plate of food e.g. a cockroach, a fly or even a button from the kitchen staff (real experience) so, I can assure you that my mind was actually spinning when my order arrived.
Now, as for the part that our taste buds would be "more" sensitive when we aren't able to have a visual on our food, let me say that this will be rather individual because I was actually "feeling" every morsel of food that entered my mouth to ensure that it does not have any "foreign" object other than my order. So, I suppose you can say that the taste was actually there. Anyway, I believe my steak would be even more appetizing if I have a full visual of how it is being cooked and presented, where I just prefer to recall our old Chinese mantra for good food goes by "color, smell, decoration and finally taste."
Lastly, (IMHO) I feel that this is not an ideal place to bring your date to dine and certainly the last place to consider for a first date or special date where for one, I am sure I would like to be able to see my special someone when I talk. In this particular restaurant, you just would not know if your date is listening or better still, around at all. I say it is good for the experience but after that, it just does not have the novelty for a repeat visit - even if it is serving Michelin star menus.
@babyanna (1216)
• China
11 Aug 11
Hi,skysuccess!
There is one in Taipei?Niiiice~
Yeah,I guess you're right.I would pay visit to it once or twice,but I don't think I'm gonna be a patron.I would try to trust them not to tamper with my food.I mean,worrying about what's gonna on the plate besides my food would surely impair the thrill of dining in the dark.I've been lucky not to have had anything like cockroach on my plate.Several insects,for sure.But not like what you have experienced.A button?
How did you handle that?
I like seeing what's on my dining table,too.Like you said,color,smell,decoration and taste are factors that make our buds more sensitive and give pleasure to the other senses.I like watching my dad cook and then sit at the table looking at those delicious dishes.One of the reasons I like dining in the western restaurants is that they pay extra attention to the decoration.
Yummy,I miss the steaks already.
There are couples going there for a dinner.Actually,the one in LA has a valentine special.In CSI,the man took his lady to the restaurant and proposed to her.Yet while he was trying to find the ring,he made a huge mess.They were happy afterwards of course,though they all had a little injury.It is sweet in some way.But I can't imagine what would happen if he fell and hit his temple hard or something.Errr~~~Wish that won't happen to anyone.
Thanks for sharing~
How did you handle that?
I like seeing what's on my dining table,too.Like you said,color,smell,decoration and taste are factors that make our buds more sensitive and give pleasure to the other senses.I like watching my dad cook and then sit at the table looking at those delicious dishes.One of the reasons I like dining in the western restaurants is that they pay extra attention to the decoration.Yummy,I miss the steaks already.
There are couples going there for a dinner.Actually,the one in LA has a valentine special.In CSI,the man took his lady to the restaurant and proposed to her.Yet while he was trying to find the ring,he made a huge mess.They were happy afterwards of course,though they all had a little injury.It is sweet in some way.But I can't imagine what would happen if he fell and hit his temple hard or something.Errr~~~Wish that won't happen to anyone.
Thanks for sharing~
@cream97 (29087)
• United States
14 Sep 11
Hi, babyanna. If this restaurant is pitched dark I would not go at all. If it is dimly lit, then I will probably go, just as long as it is inside though. But honestly, I don't really care for any dark dining outings. I don't know if I would feel too comfortable with something like this.
@thesids (22180)
• Bhubaneswar, India
10 Aug 11
Hi babyanna 
The Dark Restaurant
Even you mention that they killed someone in there...
I can try out once just for experience... but hey would they serve me the dish that I order or it is going to be something else... The only way I would prefer to get in this kind of a restaurant would be without any money...
How would they handle cash? I mean if I pay them in a different currency or even just pieces of paper (in the size of currency notes?)
The Dark Restaurant Even you mention that they killed someone in there...
I can try out once just for experience... but hey would they serve me the dish that I order or it is going to be something else... The only way I would prefer to get in this kind of a restaurant would be without any money...
How would they handle cash? I mean if I pay them in a different currency or even just pieces of paper (in the size of currency notes?)1 person likes this
@babyanna (1216)
• China
11 Aug 11
Hi,thesids~
No cheating,my friend~They are cautious about people like you.You can only pay at the check out desk in the lounge.
And it is not cheap.Each set meal comprises of your choice of appetizer,entree and dessert.And the costs for each set menu is $99(+Tax)/person.Unless someone is paying the check(or I become very very rich,haha),I don't think I will ever go there.LOL~I hope they won't give me something else,though.Haha~
No cheating,my friend~They are cautious about people like you.You can only pay at the check out desk in the lounge.
And it is not cheap.Each set meal comprises of your choice of appetizer,entree and dessert.And the costs for each set menu is $99(+Tax)/person.Unless someone is paying the check(or I become very very rich,haha),I don't think I will ever go there.LOL~I hope they won't give me something else,though.Haha~
@hardworkinggurl (37063)
• United States
20 Aug 11
Actually for me I need to see what I am eating so eating in the dark would not work for me. I am a very picky eater and must examine everything prior to consuming it. Now a little candlelight would be nice. lol
@bhabycatch013 (9150)
• Philippines
10 Aug 11
hi BA,
I saw this kind of restaurant in a movie WHEN IN ROME
I can say it was an exciting one
Well maybe I can give a try if ever
happy mylotting
Well maybe I can give a try if ever
happy mylotting
@cupcakes_n_starrs (305)
• United States
10 Aug 11
I would go but I wouldn't wear my best clothes. I think I would end up getting super messy if I could not see anything. How do you know what is on the menu? I wonder what kinds of foods they serve? I might just go eat in my closet with the door shut to see if darkness really enhances the tastes of things! Lol. I can imagine my husband asking later why there is a meatball in his tennis shoe!
1 person likes this
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
11 Aug 11
That's another thing about eating without seeing what you're eating that I'd wonder about..They'd probably avoid serving dishes with loads of sauces,as I could see things getting Messy? Maybe Rib Bibs for everyone..
@babyanna (1216)
• China
11 Aug 11
That is a great idea!You don't even need to pay for anything except the food you bought.Hahaha.I bet your husband would be amused if he found out what you were doing in the closet.
I have no idea what they are gonna do to let us know what is on the menu.Maybe the waiters would tell us?They serve appetizer,entree and dessert.This is their site: http://la.darkdining.com/
Try the Dining Room one.It's a very interesting one.Haha~