Hidden Gems: I DON'T KNOW why everyone in Barcelona is not overweight as there are so many places to eat delicious food, but the most extraordinary restaurant is the newly opened Dans le Noir. The name is apt, although it is more than "in the dark" – it is in utter darkness. You cannot see anything and one's eyes do not get used to it.
Coats, scarves, mobile phones, plus anything luminous, such as watches or jewellery, are put in lockers. The patrons line up with a hand on the shoulder of the person in front and are steered into a room. There are no clues as to how the room looks or how many people are already eating. One of the blind waiters, on whom diners are now dependent, leads the way to the table – is it a separate table or one long table? There is no way of knowing.
It is strange how disorientating this impenetrable blackness is. The menu is set, so the actual ingredients are anyone’s guess – the first problem is finding the plate and a knife and fork. There is a certain amount of difficulty and giggling when cutting meat into bite-size bits and spearing it firmly enough to get it into one’s mouth. Not being able to see enhances the taste buds. Feel free to lick the platter clean – no one can see you to disapprove.
This concept of eating was conceived in Paris and there are also Dans le Noir restaurants in London and Moscow. It is a very odd and perhaps an enlightening experience, suddenly finding oneself unable to see and having to depend on the other senses.
Dans le Noir Passeig de Picasso 10, 08003 Barcelona, Spain, 00-34-93-2687017, danslenoir.com
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