Dark Table

OMG! What an experience! Tonight we dined at DARK TABLE, in complete blackness!

We entered in single file, holding onto each others shoulders behind our server, into total blackness. There was not even a slight shadow, not a glimpse of light. I was disoriented and initially sensed a warning sign of vertigo. Feeling for our chairs, I was able to keep John from missing his chair entirely and sitting on the floor! Once we were seated, it seemed easier to just close my eyes. Psychologically it felt as though it should be dark. With my eyes open, I was discumbobulated.

Amy, our server, was very charming. We were able to hear her approaching when her bracelets jangled. She also repeated "careful...careful...careful" when she was coming and going. Feeling around the table we discovered our cutlery, a small plate, napkin and disc of butter. Amy brought a basket of bread and we made blind attempts to apply the butter.

Although we had ordered a bottle of wine, Amy brought glasses of wine to the table. Imagine the challenge of trying to pour wine in the dark. Adrian and Ashley ordered surprise cocktails and realized that they were tasting mojitos. The first course, a surprise salad, tested our recognition of different flavours...arugula, sliced apple, spicy brazil nuts, blue cheese, strawberries, greens. It was amazing to taste all of the flavours unseen. Two of us used forks and the other two ate with their fingers!!

Ashley and I had ordered beef tenderloin with pepper sauce, John ordered prawns and Adrian chose wiener schnitzel. Amy brought the dishes to the table along with "careful...careful...careful" as she approached. The food was delicious!! We were challenged to guess the identity of the veggies. The meats had been sliced so I didn't bother to find my knife, just chewed on savoury chunks of tenderloin after stealing one of John's prawns!

The final course of our three course meal was a light, air-filled cheesecake. We had finally relaxed into the blackness and were totally sated. It is different to converse in the dark, without making eye contact, unaware of whether your table mates are picking their noses or smooching!

It was a total sensory experience that I would recommend to "almost" everyone!