How would you like to dine in complete darkness?

There are restaurants where you can eat with a Wii controller in one hand and a bowl of panna cotta in the other, or paint a watercolor masterpiece while sipping wine, or enjoy your afternoon coffee surrounded by cute animals. The latest experiential dining concept to emerge in Manila is one you can’t miss.

Noche: Dine in the Dark Manila invites guests to experience their dinner in a whole new light: that is to say, in complete darkness.

The experience

Upon arriving at the A. Venue Suites Hotel, guests will first spend some time in Noche’s waiting area, the Granvia Café, where they will be presented with the Mystery Menu from which they can only choose a taste (meat, fish, vegetarian or chef’s surprise) and the number of courses they want (two, three or five).

The menu items are not revealed prior to the meal and guests go in dark, both literally and figuratively, for the full experience. Cellphones, watches and any other devices that emit light are also not allowed in the pitch-black restaurant.

It may sound like eating in the dark is so easy you can do it with your eyes closed, but if anything, losing your sense of sight can make the experience a real challenge. Although, per the restaurant’s FAQs, “it is very rare to see someone not feeling comfortable with dining in the dark,” they've anticipated all the little adjustments guests will have to make.

Aprons and gloves are provided for those are worried about making a mess on their clothes. There will also be “darkness experts” to assist you and to ensure that everything goes smoothly. The wait staff are all either totally blind or severely visually impaired—the best people to guide you through your dinner in the dark since they are all perfectly used to navigating through their daily tasks without sight. The restaurant is also equipped with infrared cctv cameras for the guests' security.

Blindekuh

The whole concept of dark dining emerged in 1999 in Switzerland with the opening of the restaurant Blindekuh in Zurich. I was conceived by the Blind-Liecht Foundation, a Swiss organization that develops and supports projects that create jobs for blind and visually impaired people. This restaurant, along with many others that followed, has also shown that when sight is taken away, one’s sense of taste is intensified, making the meal more enjoyable overall.

Noche Dine in the Dark Manila has partnered with non-government organization Resources for the Blind, providing job opportunities for blind and visually impaired Filipinos. Apart from allowing people to see the world through the eyes of those who cannot see, the restaurant brings to the table a feast for the senses you won't soon forget. — BM, GMA News

Noche: Dine in the Dark Manila is located at the A. Venue Suites Hotel Makati and will be open for dinner service at 6:00 pm and 8:00 pm every Friday, Saturday and Sunday starting October 14, 2016. Visit their website for reservations.