Dans Le Noir- Discover What’s Hidden in The Dark

This past Sunday,  I went to the Dans Le Noir Restaurant.  If you’re    It is a restaurant where the waitstaff are all blind and you experience what they experience while you eat- complete darkness.

Located close to the St Laurent metro, Dans Le Noir offers diners a very unique experience.  When you first arrive, you are welcomed in a lobby.  Here, you put your coats away.  They also have lockers available so you can keep you purse, wallets, keys, and other valuables safe while you dine.

It is in this area, that you are able to look at the menu.  After you have adequate amount of time to peruse, a waiter comes to take your order.

Introduced to Darkness…

When they are ready, your name is called and this is when the real experience begins.  First, you meet your waiter.  We had a gentleman named Ricardo who was very nice.  She/he then leads you into the room.  You have to hold onto their shoulder and listen to where they tell you to go.  Since you can’t see at all, not only is this helpful, it is necessary.  Once you are seated at your table, he then tells you where your utensils are located.

Right away, you notice that you start to speak louder while you slowly adjust to the fact that you can’t even see your hand in front of you.  The staff promptly brings you a drink and soon after, your appetizer.

I chose to have the Caprese salad and my companion ate the crab cake.  It is so strange, how even though you may have had that meal numerous times, it now tastes different.  My friend said his crab cake almost tasted like mashed potatoes.

Something to adjust to is the fact that you can’t see your food, nor where you are cutting!  You just hope that you are doing a decent job and not making a mess on the table, your lap, or your face.  It definitely adds a comedic tone to the whole thing.

Main Course

I had the Veal Scallopini and my friend had the filet mignon.  They both came with a side of vegetables with potatoes.  The food was de-licious!  We decided to order half a bottle of the house wine and it accompanied the meal very well.

Dessert

I had the Chocolate Mousse (which I am still craving) and my friend had the Cheese Cake.  By this time, I was greatly enjoying the experience.  It is as though time and space do not exist.  You almost feel like you, yourself did not exist anymore- it is surreal.  I know this may not seem appealing to some, but it really was enjoyable!

Once you are finished, you are led back into the light-filled lobby to get your jacket and adjust to being able to see again.  We had seen many people come out looking squinty-eyed, and/or with food on their shirts but we had done alright!

I would definitely go again!

Overall, it is an experience that I believe everyone should partake in.  I’ve always had much respect for the blind but after this, it really sinks in how different living is for them, and the respect increases.  I loved the experience so much that I wish I could go all the time.

For those of you who think, “Just eat at home with all of the lights turned off..”  it is NOT the same thing.  Leave your house, away from all of your electronic devices, away from all of the noise created by the machines, and disconnect.  You need to let go of several things you may not have even realized were acting as your safety nets.  It really is an amazing experience.  I could not stop staying it throughout the whole night- it really is just simply amazing.

Have you ever gone to a restaurant like this?  Where was it?  What did you think?  Please let me know by commenting!

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