Thursday, 25 June 2009

• The Dark Restaurant: Eyes Not Required

  The Dark Restaurant (黑暗餐厅) is very unique. I was brought there by some friends in Shanghai. They say that if you have lost one of your five senses, your other senses become more sensitive. For example, blind people and braille... Those little dots all feel the same to me!

  
  

   

  When you eat at Dark Restaurant, you eat in complete darkness. It is supposed to help you enhance your taste sensations as you slowly savor each flavor and texture. All the waiters and waitresses are blind as well. It helps you experience what it would feel like to actually be blind!

  Here is what the menu looks like:

  
  

  
  

  

  This is fine dining and very expensive for Chinese standards. (Tons of yummy and cheap street/stall food over there!) As of now, US$1 = 6.8 RMB, so these dishes range from US$25-35. Oh and you order first before entering the dark dining hall of course!

  It was a really interesting experience! I don't have any other pictures because cameras are not allowed inside. Plus it's all dark anyway. I wondered whether there was any kind of decor in the dining hall because it was seriously pitch black. The kind of darkness where you can't see your hand if you put it in front of your face! My friends and I kept bumping things with our hands... It was difficult to find food and bring it to your mouth. We ended up using our fingers... (Good thing nobody can see!) We also tried switching dishes and feeding each other because we wanted to try each others' meals. Not a good idea haha. But the food was DELICIOUS and I was really able to concentrate on the taste and flavor!

  

  They also say this restaurant is great for blind dates... Because there is no visual... You'll see if your personalities truly match! But maybe get super disappointed in the end?

  You may be able to get the same effect by blindfolding yourself or eating in a room with no windows. But then it feels very silly too. They say it's great to really savor and enjoy your food because eating slowly will help you realize when you are full and prevent you from overeating.

  What do you think of this concept? Would you like to try eating at the Dark Restaurant?

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