Dine in Dark – A Taste of Darkness

I had my first dining-in-the-dark experience in Bangkok. At that time, all I wanted was some adventurous dining experience. It was also the only time when the notion of deliciousness had zero impact on my decision. I would like to feel blindness, so I picked Dine in the Dark located on the same floor of Barsu at Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit Hotel.

Before entering, I was asked to choose my preferred meal. There are three choices – vegetarian, western and surprise menus. I was also asked if I had any allergies. Once the order was ready, I was introduced to my blind server who led me into the world of darkness. Putting my hands on his shoulder, I was led slowly to my table after taking some stairs and a few turns. He carefully told me to use my hand to feel my chair until I was perfectly seated at my table. He then explained to me where all my tableware and my water glass were.

I am ready. Let’s start.

My dinner began with my choice for a 4-course sensory surprise menu.

When I was inside a completely dark environment, I could not help but close my eyes. Eating in the dark can be an unsettling experience, in particular, the physical process of feeding oneself. “Have I finished the dish? What did I just eat?” Sometimes, I was so unsure that I had to use my fingers to feel if the dish was empty. After finishing my first course, I thought ‘how could the visually impaired persons live?’

What’s the experience?

In the beginning, I was rather nervous. My eyes tried hard to see but could not. Since I could not see the dish, I finished each course a bit faster than usual. I also noticed that I relied more on my other senses especially taste and smell. Food was served on different shapes of plates or containers, I had to feel the shape first, tried to imagine how the plating would be and decided how I should start eating my dish.

Dine in the dark provoked my attentive sense to the environment. I was more sensitive to the noise around me; more focused on the taste of food; and more sensitive to the smell of food.

After the full dining-in-the-dark journey, we were back to Barsu. The staff then showed me all the four dishes I had. Surprisingly, the plating was beautiful. Eating the food without seeing it is a completely different experience.

Where is Dine in the Dark?