NOX Dine in the Dark: An Unforgettable Experience in Mindful Dining

I'm going to change gears here a little bit by writing not about a tried and true recipe of mine, but a unique dining experience I had just a few weeks ago. This is the first time I'm writing about a restaurant in this blog, but I think this one deserves it. Not only is this an unusual experience of dining in the dark, but it is also a lesson on Mindful Dining.

With my good friend and fellow foodie Karyn, on our Dine in the Dark adventure.

I eat out a lot with my family and friends as part of socialising. In addition to that, I always make it a point to go on a "Foodie Dinner" with my good friend and fellow blogger K of Twice as Delicious. We try to do this monthly, to sample different kinds of food, as well as challenge our taste buds. For me, since I actually cook, I like the inspiration of making new concoctions in the kitchen based on something interesting that I've tasted.

Well, we did get challenged a few weeks ago when we ate at Nox Dine in the Dark...and as foodies and food bloggers, we were shamed! Let me tell you a little bit about it here.

As the name suggests, when you eat at Nox Dine in the Dark, you eat your meal in COMPLETE, total, pitch black darkness.

And I mean pitch black. I have never had a dining experience like this before, but I can tell you that it heightens all of your senses and makes you appreciate the food more. It  makes you also appreciate your sense of sight more, because you will experience what it feels to be blind, at least for about 2 hours. Aside from that, it taught me a lesson about Mindful Dining, something which I think we are all slowly losing, what with the distractions around us, especially our cellphones, tablets and such.

The experience starts with the host/hostess receiving you in the cocktail area, at the first floor, where you can have a drink while enjoying the amuse bouche. In our case, it was eel with roe. Nothing spectacular or mind blowing, but it was fine. The host who met us was Jeremy, the Restaurant Manager, who briefed us about the impending experience and what to expect. We were asked to leave our handbags and other belongings, including those evil, ubiquitous, addictive cellphones, in a locker at the same floor.  Jeremy also suggested that we take a trip to the washroom before the dinner, so as to avoid going out of the pitch black environment during the meal.

K and I, enjoying our cocktails with the amuse bouche of eel with roe, at the first floor cocktail area. 

We ordered a cocktail and after enjoying that, stopping by the washroom and putting our stuff in the locker, we were so excited to finally try Dining in the Dark!

We were led to a door, and our visually impaired server met us and introduced himself. He was at the landing of a narrow, red carpeted staircase. The landing was partially lit, so we could see the first few steps of 14. Our server asked us be in single file behind him. K put her hand on his shoulder, while I put my hand on K's. We gingerly went up the steps. I could still see until the 7th step but after that, it was pitch dark. There was another curtain, and we were led through that into a mini landing, with yet another curtain, to prevent any light from the staircase from illuminating the dining room.

Photo Credit: Nox Dine in the Dark

Once we were there, we could eerily hear other diners quietly chatting, their utensils making sounds as they ate as we saw NOTHING, NOTHING AT ALL. We were led to our table and we slowly sat on our chairs. We couldn't see anything at all, except for a tiny red light to indicate where the door was! Our server explained that the food would consist of three courses: appetisers, main and dessert. Each course would be on a wooden board, comprised of 4 small bowls. The recommendation is to eat the first dish located at the 6 o'clock position, and proceed in a clockwise direction.

We waited for the first course, while really not looking around, because there was nothing to see! Nor do! No cellphones to look at. No one else to look at, not even yourself. Thus, you have no choice but to really spend the time focusing on what is happening and talking with your companion.

We ordered some water and a bottle was brought to us. We were expecting them to pour the water for us, but looks like we had to do it ourselves. So I brought the lip of the glass right next to the lip of the water bottle and put my index finger into my glass. That was the only way I could aim the water properly and prevent overflowing. And of course, avoid a messy disaster!

Finally, the first course came. It seems that when you cannot see anything, your other senses are heightened dramatically. I could smell the food more distinctly. I could  hear the clink of utensils and the mild chatter of people in the other tables. I could taste the food more distinctly, savouring the different textures in each bowl. Is it crispy? Smooth? Velvety? Is it savoury or sweet? Was that truffle that I tasted? That tastes like a Japanese ingredient....

All the food is served in small bowls. I guess this makes it easier to keep it all together, most especially if there is a sauce. I found a way to not make a mess of myself while feeding myself and not getting any food on my purple dress. I had to get each small bowl, put the edge very close to my lips, and feed myself by scooping the food and directly putting it into my mouth, while it was very close to the bowl. One cannot do the usual manoeuvre of taking the food with your fork at table level and raising it into your mouth, because you cannot see what you are eating, and it might just land on your chest or your lap! We jokingly remarked that this is one meal where you really don't have to dress up, because you can't see each other anyway! What an interesting date that would make.

I found that by eating food this way, you get to appreciate the smell and taste of it more. And of course there was the matter of guessing: what am I eating??? Some of the dishes and ingredients were easily identifiable, but some were not. In fact, we missed some of them and that was why I said that two foodies were shamed. I do not want to tell you what we actually ate, lest I spoil the surprise for those of you who want to eat there. But the source of shame was failing to recognise a creamy, delectable slice of foie gras (how could I miss this when this is one of my favourite delicacies???), as well as slow cooked soft egg, which we mistook for tofu!

Photo Credit: Nox Dine in the Dark

We were done with the appetisers and soon the main course came. Again, there was a wooden tray with four bowls, and we started with the bowl at the 6 o'clock position.

Main course was done, and the last tray came with the desserts.

What was very unusual is that it seemed like the servers knew exactly when to come by our table to take away our trays. Jeremy explained to us later that being blind or visually impaired, the servers use their sense of hearing by assessing when the diners are done eating, by listening to the sounds of the utensils they are using. Thus, they can take away the dishes unobtrusively at the right time.

Finally, the meal was over and we were led back down the steps into the cocktail area again. We were asked to evaluate our meal, as well as answer a few questions to guess what we had eaten. They asked us what ingredients were used in the appetiser tray, what different kinds of meat were served in the mains, and what were the four desserts. Two foodies did not get a perfect score on the "test," but it was pretty decent. :)

It was a very unique dining experience and one thing that really made an impact on me, aside from activating my other senses in the process of enjoying the meal, is that it forced us to Mindfully Dine. Just think about how we eat today. Just look around you when you are eating at a restaurant, or even eating at home. How many people are together in a table, and yet they are not. They don't even look at each other because they're busy looking at their phones! How many people are distractedly shifting from having a conversation to glancing at their phone? How many people are not in the moment, not concentrating on who they're with, but busy flirting with other people in another table? How many times do we rush eating, so that we can go back to our computers, tablets or phones?

The days when people lingered at the dining table to enjoy and savour the meal, as well as the company of and conversation with the person in front of you, are slowly going away. Be in the moment with whoever you're with and enjoy the gift of food! Look into the eyes of your companion and not at your phone or someone else at another table.

In this day and age we live in, it is difficult to be in the moment and to be mindful while we eat, because our senses are just being assaulted by too many distractions. Thus, aside from the great food, the unique experience of what it means to be blind, and using other compensating senses aside from sight to enjoy the food, I think the best thing that this experience taught me is to be mindful in my eating and to savour not just the food itself but the company of people I'm enjoying it with. The gift of presence is the most valuable gift we can give to whoever we're with.

Outside the restaurant with K and Restaurant Manager Jeremy.