Maybe you’ve heard whispers on the street about this brilliant concept of dining in complete darkness. Or maybe you’ve watched Richard Curtis’s About Time and have formed a deep obsession with the idea that you might meet your soulmate there á la Domhnall Gleeson and Rachel McAdams. Whatever your introduction to Dans Le Noir?, we think it’s time for you to let your curiosity run riot because this dining experience is not to be missed. Forget pretty, Instagrammable dining. You won’t get any cute pictures in here! But a dinner at Dans Le Noir? will certainly be an experience you won’t forget.
We went along recently to check it out and you can see – or hear, rather – our reaction to it here:
How does a meal at Dans Le Noir? work?
First things first, is it really in complete darkness? Yes. Yes it is. There is no soft-focus mood lighting here. This is pitch-black can’t-see-your-own-hand-waving-in-front-of-your-face kind of darkness. You’ll even be asked to leave your phones and electronic devices in the lobby to avoid any kind of light pollution in the restaurant. They’re taking no chances at all!
‘But how does it work?’ we hear you cry. How do you find your seats? Or go to the loo Or even know where your wine glass is? Well, the blind or partially-sighted waitstaff are your guardian angels while you dine dans le noir. Diners are led into the restaurant in sort of a conga – hands on the shoulder of the guest in front of you, before being helped into your seat. If you need any assistance locating cutlery or anything else you might have lost in the dark, your waiters are on hand to help. Likewise, if you need help getting to the loo, your waiter can drop you off. (Don’t worry, the toilets are mercifully fully-lit!)
On the menu
Now… you don’t actually get to know what you’re ordering when you go to Dans Le Noir?. Which is kind of the point, after all… Just tell them about any allergies or intolerances and wait to be surprised by what comes out. The ‘surprise’ menu means that you have no idea what you’re tucking into. But that makes for plenty of conversation as you try to figure out just what you’ve put in your mouth.
It’s an unparalleled sensory experience. You’re forced to focus on the taste, smell, and texture of each and every mouthful you eat. This might seem daunting at first, especially if you’re worried about slips and spillages. However, once you get used to it, the experience proves to be rather freeing and thought-provoking. You can use your fingers, lick the bowl and put your elbows on the table. Darkness knows no table manners!
When you’re all done, and you’ve wiped away any messes off of your face (that you’re aware of, at least), your menu is finally revealed! You’ll find out if you correctly identified what you were eating and discover just how accurate your sense of taste is. Maybe you’re ready for a MasterChef taste test, or maybe you need to plan a second visit to Dans Le Noir? to train up those taste buds… Either way, the dinner in the dark is sure to broaden your gastronomic horizons.