Dans le noir?

As part of my birthday celebration this year, Rhodri and I went for dinner last night at this restaurant called Dans le noir? in London, where you are waited on by blind people, dine in total darkness eating surprise menus and are seated at family style tables. A colleague had told me about this place and I was so intrigued that I had to talk Rhodri into coming with me and making a date out of it!

Rhodri met me at work in Westminster and we went for happy hour with my colleagues Bala, Vicki and Gill - none of whom had ever met Rhods, so that was special in itself! We took the tube, walked and then hopped in a taxi in order to arrive by 7pm to the restaurant. We were greeted by a friendly host who sat us in a small table with comfy chairs after we put our bags, coats and phones into a locker. The welcome area is softly lit and serves as a staging place where people prepare to go into the dark, and where the menu is explained. Each person chooses either Vegetarian, Fish, Meat or Exotic surprise menus, and then chooses either 2 or 3 courses, or one of the more deluxe options that involve wine pairings etc.

So we both chose Exotic surprise menu with 2 courses (Rh - starter and main, L - main and dessert), and then when we were ready, our waiter was summoned and we headed to the entry passage. Gao was our waiter, and after meeting him we formed a train with right hand onto right shoulder of person in front (Gao-me-Rhodri). Gao told us that we would be joining a table that had a party of 3 ladies and a mixed party of 4 already seated, then led us to our chairs where we sat down. He then explained that we each had a knife and fork and napkin in front of us, as well as a tall glass for water. And then we were left to settle into the experience. 

It was so, so dark: absolutely pitch black with no hint of light anywhere. We didn't know how big the room was, where we were in the context on the room, or how many other people were there. We could hear other people talking, but without the visual cues to focus our ears, it was strangely disorienting and we couldn't tune into what anyone else was saying (which normally is easy to do, especially for Rhodri).  But at the same time it was very relaxing to allow one sense to switch off and not pay any attention to one's appearance or to maintaining tidy restaurant manners. It was really difficult to use the knife and fork, and Rhods just used his fingers the whole time. But the food was delicious and indeed exotic! 

When it was all over, we went back out into the welcome lounge and relaxed on a sofa to study the menu that showed pictures and included descriptions of what we just ate: Kangaroo with giant couscous, Zebra with green beans, Cobia (type of fish) with mushrooms and baby carrots. The starter that Rhodri had was some seafood tempura in a saffron sauce, and the dessert that I had was champagne-soaked quince with rhubarb mousse, vanilla meringue and blackberries on a bed of crumbs. All very interesting food sensations! We decided that it would be fun to reproduce this experience back at Chalfonts so that the kids could enjoy. Anyway, it was a great evening and a memorable birthday present.