Dans Le Noir

[menton1]

Paris has done it again-- leading the world in innovation and unique ideas. Dans Le Noir has recently opened in the hip 4th Arr, with an idea that has been successfully tried in a couple of other European cities.

The restaurant seating is in total darkness. You are seated with strangers at a large table. And the wait staff consists of blind people! (Everyone would be equally blind in this environment). Early reviews indicate that people are loving the place. Very tough to get into now, need advance reservations.

Apparently the darkness not only stimulates conversations with strangers, but gives the food a unique and stronger taste sensation because when one sense is eliminated, the other senses get stronger. It also provides employment to blind people.

What a fabulous idea, can't wait to go next time I get to Paris!!

(Has any Eg-er actually been and can report on their experience here?)

Dans Le Noir

51, rue Quincampoix

Paris 4 ème

01 42 77 98 04

[lambretta76]

And the wait staff consists of blind people!

Interesting. Most of the restaurants that I've seen do this have their staff outfitted with night-vision goggles. Of course, I choose the low-tech version of this experience, simply closing my eyes when I eat something tremendous.

[magnolia]

Interesting. Most of the restaurants that I've seen do this have their staff outfitted with night-vision goggles. Of course, I choose the low-tech version of this experience, simply closing my eyes when I eat something tremendous.

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I remember hearing about a performance-art type ''happening' in Paris several years ago called Le Gout du Noir in which diners were served in the dark, but it didn't have anything to do with blindness, if I recall it was more about experiencing a meal without one of the main senses associated with enjoying something.

Then a restaurant called Blindekuh (translates to Blindman's Bluff) opened in Zurich a few years ago. I believe it claimed to be the first of its kind - e.g. a restaurant staffed by blind employees whose goal it was to serve good food in an interesting atmosphere (the pitch dark). I wrote about it a few years ago for ontherail.com. At the time, they had a fully-sighted manager and a partially sighted chef. But the servers were all blind.

http://www.blindekuh.ch/

[cigalechanta]

There's an article on it in "France"magazine (not the excellant British one)

[menton1]

This restaurant has received much acclaim and is on many 2004 "Best" lists for Paris. (Including John Talbott's). Here is a rare review of the place written in english, from the well known Bonjour Paris web site: Dans Le Noir Review

This sounds like a truly unique experience, I will definitely be going next time we are in Paris!!

[John Talbott]

Paris has done it again-- leading the world in innovation and unique ideas.  Dans Le Noir has recently opened in the hip 4th Arr, with an idea that has been successfully tried in a couple of other European cities.

The restaurant seating is in total darkness.  You are seated with strangers at a large table.  And the wait staff consists of blind people!  (Everyone would be equally blind in this environment).  Early reviews indicate that people are loving the place.  Very tough to get into now, need advance reservations. 

Apparently the darkness not only stimulates conversations with strangers, but gives the food a unique and stronger taste sensation because when one sense is eliminated, the other senses get stronger.  It also provides employment to blind people.

What a fabulous idea, can't wait to go next time I get to Paris!!

(Has any Eg-er actually been and can report on their experience here?)

Dans Le Noir

51, rue Quincampoix

Paris 4 ème

01 42 77 98 04

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Not me but there's a lengthy description on Bonjour Paris by Lee Ann Cornelius who paid a visit. {It was my impression that it’s more of a sensitivity “experience,” eg, of what its like to be blind, than a culinary one.}

Also, the website for Expats, Expatica.com has another article on it.

Finally, there were several reviews in French I noted in the Digest in 2004.

Please tell us what you think; me, I'll wait for you try it.

[ludja]

Paris has done it again-- leading the world in innovation and unique ideas. 

...

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Not to rain on the fact that Paris contributes plenty of culinary innovations to the world I'm sure--but this concept was launched earlier in at least two other places in Europe, Berlin and at Blindekuh in Zurich... and discussed on egullet before Dans le Noir opened this past summer.

Berlin dining in the dark restaurant thread

Have to "stick up" for Elsewhere in Europe...

Thanks for posting the info on Dans le Noir though; it would be interesting to directlly hear someone's experiences at one of these places.

[Bux]

Not to rain on the fact that Paris contributes plenty of culinary innovations to the world I'm sure--but this concept was launched earlier in at least two other places in Europe, Berlin and at Blindekuh in Zurich... and discussed on egullet before Dans le Noir opened this past summer.

Berlin dining in the dark restaurant thread

Have to "stick up" for Elsewhere in Europe...   

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Perhaps, but I'm always complaining about NY restaurants that are too dark and reminding restaurateurs that in France, where they know how to cook, serve and eat, the restaurants are invariably well lit. I have no doubt that other senses are heightened in this situation and that it makes for an experience, but I would doubt that it improves an appreciation of the food. I don't recall the Bonjour Paris article talking about a heightened sense of of taste. Come to think of it, I don't recall the food being mentioned much at all and it seems nothing was said about the way it tasted, although we get recommendations of what to order without any clue as to why. A first perhaps for a restaurant review.

[ludja]

Not to rain on the fact that Paris contributes plenty of culinary innovations to the world I'm sure--but this concept was launched earlier in at least two other places in Europe, Berlin and at Blindekuh in Zurich... and discussed on egullet before Dans le Noir opened this past summer.

Berlin dining in the dark restaurant thread

Have to "stick up" for Elsewhere in Europe...   

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Perhaps, but I'm always complaining about NY restaurants that are too dark and reminding restaurateurs that in France, where they know how to cook, serve and eat, the restaurants are invariably well lit. I have no doubt that other senses are heightened in this situation and that it makes for an experience, but I would doubt that it improves an appreciation of the food. I don't recall the Bonjour Paris article talking about a heightened sense of of taste. Come to think of it, I don't recall the food being mentioned much at all and it seems nothing was said about the way it tasted, although we get recommendations of what to order without any clue as to why. A first perhaps for a restaurant review.

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Good point, I don't find my dining experience heightend in restaurants that are on the too dark side. And none of these reviews really talk about food too in too much detail...

Since I recalled the earlier egullet thread, I was mainly gently pointing out that it had "been done before" outside of Paris in response to the title and beginning of the post. It doesn't seem likely that the concept will have much acceptance as a "culinary" innovation.

[menton1]

Good point, I don't find my dining experience heightend in restaurants that are on the too dark side.

I think there is a misunderstanding about this restaurant... it is not "on the dark side", it is total darkness! Zero light! One reviewer says that you start to see a bit of red, because it is the color of your blood vessels. And it is a nice touch and quite ironic that here, blind people are leading sighted people around, instead of the opposite!

Although in French, here is an interesting discussion of the "sensory experience" Dans Le Noir Article

[ludja]

Good point, I don't find my dining experience heightend in restaurants that are on the too dark side.

I think there is a misunderstanding about this restaurant... it is not "on the dark side", it is total darkness! Zero light! One reviewer says that you start to see a bit of red, because it is the color of your blood vessels. And it is a nice touch and quite ironic that here, blind people are leading sighted people around, instead of the opposite!

Although in French, here is an interesting discussion of the "sensory experience" Dans Le Noir Article

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Sure; I think that's clear to all.

I think Bux was just trying to relate to the idea put forth in the articles that ones sense of taste might be heightened or different in the dark. I think I started things in this direction by saying that it was a "culinary" innovation. No doubt it would be a unique experience in any case.

[Bux]

I think this is an appropriate thread for eGullet, although I more and more question if it's a French thread as much as a universal thread. It's appropriate because it's about a restaurant, but what I want to know is how it affects the experience of the food. It really seems as if the food itself isn't the important part of the restaurant. People dine out for all sorts of reasons. People eat at night clubs. We don't get many posts about the food at the Follies Begère or the Crazy Horse Saloon. There are places to eat where it's not about the food. Dans le Noir seems to be one of those.

What does the restaurant bring to the table so to speak. I get some sense of what it's like to be in the dark, but I'm in the dark about what the effect is on my food, or why, if I wanted the experience of being in the dark, would I want to have that experience while I'm dining. Many diners choose ambience or service over food. Not every diner believes food is the most important part of a restaurant. I do. Perhaps I'm not the target audience here. Who is, and why?

[Ptipois]

I've been to "Dans le noir", and I haven't got the time to review it here tonight, but it was a real nightmare.

Painfully noisy, terribly slow service. And the food was dreadful, clearly not designed for the purpose.

I know it is some sort of humanitarian experience, but there are limits to what one is supposed to endure for charity's sake.

I'll give a more precise account in the next few days. But if someone comes to Paris and wants to experience good restaurants, by all means, let them pick places where then can actually SEE THINGS.

[Bux]

. . .  it was a real nightmare.

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I'm convinced it's an interesting experience, but even before the review, I'm convinced it's not an experience worth giving up a meal for, and certainly not as a visitor with a limted number of potential meals in Paris. I'm still looking forward to the review. Other people's nightmares make good reading.

[Carlsbad]

I agree. Maybe I'm getting old and cranky, but I'm not about to waste a meal in Paris on a place where I can't even see what I'm eating.

[John Talbott]

I agree.  Maybe I'm getting old and cranky, but I'm not about to waste a meal in Paris on a place where I can't even see what I'm eating.   

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Bravo! I have always thought that Dans le Noir is a bit like Bel Canto, it's a truc and the one time I was taken to Bel Canto my French hosts (30 of them atttending a conference) thot it was a hoot (when I asked them what they thought about the quality of the food, it was clear that food wasn't in the equation.) As I said in the Digest about Bonjour Paris's take, food is not the reason to go to Dans le Noir.

Sorry to be a curmudgeon, but I'm eating for the food - darkness, skating, singing and circus acts just are not on my agenda (unless I have my grandkids and even that is negotiable).

Edited by John Talbott to reinsert deleted phrase

[Ptipois]

I'm still looking forward to the review. Other people's nightmares make good reading.

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You bet. I'm still short on time today, but believe me, I couldn't wait to get out of the place.

[Bux]

I'm still looking forward to the review. Other people's nightmares make good reading.

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You bet. I'm still short on time today, but believe me, I couldn't wait to get out of the place.

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You make it sound as if you'd seen the light early in the meal.

[little ms foodie]

I've been to Blindekuh in Zurich and one of the friends I went with is now living in Paris. She stumbled (haha) upon Dans le Noir and thought it looked cool. She said they have a bar so you can still get a bit of experience even if you don't want to do the whole food thing. The food is certainly not the reason to go to this kind of place however how your senses change in regards to the food is.

Dining at Blindekuh is still one of the most unique experiences I have ever had. I know that the 5 friends who dined with me feel the same. We would absolutely do that again.

[cigalechanta]

http://www.paris.org/Kiosque/dec04/letter.nov04.html

[fresh_a]

Gimicks are in no way visionary.

[Margaret Pilgrim]

....What does the restaurant bring to the table so to speak....Perhaps I'm not the target audience here. Who is, and why?

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I can't count the number of presentations and reviews that I have waved in front of my husband in recent months, perhaps even years, asking him, "what are they talking about!" I have finally concluded that if I can't understand a promotional thrust, it is not being marketed to me! raz: