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2012-12-04
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Dining In The Dark: thoughtfully crafted, multi-course mystery menus are served nightly (except Mondays) in a completely blackened hall by visually impaired wait staff whose calm, humor & concentration can put their sighted counterparts to shame.The belief that visual deprivation instantly heightens other senses, including taste, is debatable, though customers will probably pay more attention to their food here, devoid of distractions like cellphones & cameras (those will be placed in personal
Dining In The Dark: thoughtfully crafted, multi-course mystery menus are served nightly (except Mondays) in a completely blackened hall by visually impaired wait staff whose calm, humor & concentration can put their sighted counterparts to shame.
The belief that visual deprivation instantly heightens other senses, including taste, is debatable, though customers will probably pay more attention to their food here, devoid of distractions like cellphones & cameras (those will be placed in personal lockers outside the dining chamber).
This nearly two-hour experience begins on a first-floor lounge with a friendly briefing. Customers then place their hands on a smooth-moving guide's shoulders or on those of their friends ahead of them, carefully walking single-file into a curtain-shrouded maze of amazement.
Pre-dinner sensory games: figure out which containers contain rice, beans & barley (shake 'em!) & fish out paperclips from a grain-filled package. Sip sangria & cranberry cocktails before braving the ultimate eclipse & taking stabs in the dark about what we're eating.
Spoiler alert: Potential customers who want to preserve the element of surprise, skip these next four paragraphs. Once seated, everyone is progressively presented with plates of unknown recipes. Forks & spoons are supplied, but we recommend using fingers to feel through the food, while music from The Corrs floats through the background.
Major spoiler alert: While the menu is expected to evolve, the current one features recipes whose basic components might be easy to deduce, from a prawn cocktail to a watermelon salad, chicken roulade with spinach to linguine with smoked duck, vanilla ice cream to panna cotta. But it's still mighty fun to sniff out the subtleties: who knew the salad contained feta cheese?
Final spoiler alert: After exiting, customers are shown photos of the food. Gimmicky or genius? Well, we paid RM88++ per person & enjoyed both the satisfyingly tasty, terrifically textured, hugely portioned food _ 11 items altogether _ & the overall experience. Recommended, though we hope the menu will eventually take more risks & become more challenging for customers.
Post-dinner coffee & tea are provided. Wine can be ordered for RM20++ per glass.
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