\n
![](\"https:\/\/mindbodygreen-res.cloudinary.com\/image\/upload\/c_fill,w_700,h_400,g_auto,q_85,fl_lossy,f_jpg\/org\/gnllc4xqolggnf8go.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
I\u2019d been looking for a way to test this phenomenon when I heard about \u201cDinners in the Dark.\u201d Twice weekly, the downtown restaurant Abigail\u2019s Kitchen offers a dinner where guests sit blindfolded throughout a meal. \u201cWithout sight, diners\u2019 other senses are heightened,\u201d the website promises. \u201cSmells, texture and sounds all become more intense.\u201d<\/p>\n
I couldn\u2019t wait to try it, so I found a date when Eliza, Jamie, and I could go (the experience included wine, so under-age Eleanor couldn\u2019t join us). On the appointed evening, along with thirteen other diners, we waited in the restaurant\u2019s bar area for the adventure to begin.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis seems to be a popular date-night activity,\u201d I observed, looking at the other people in line.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you going to eat carbs, Mom?\u201d Eliza asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m going to eat whatever we\u2019re served. Bring it on!\u201d<\/p>\n
First, Abigail herself handed out light adjustable masks that allowed us to open our eyes without being able to see. Group by group, we walked down a steep flight of stairs, put on our masks, and were led into the dining room to take our seats. I tried to imagine my surroundings. A recording of birds twittering was playing, which led me to imagine a garden d\u00e9cor, with a white and green color scheme, lattice patterns, and plants. (All completely inaccurate, I later discovered.)<\/p>\n
As we settled in, Abigail directed us to find the little baskets in front of us and clean our hands on the warm washcloths inside. Then the servers gathered the washcloths, and the meal began.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The menu was secret, so Jamie, Eliza, and I had fun trying to identify what foods we were eating. The first taste was easy: a small triangle of crispy toast with olive oil, garlic, and plenty of salt. With our masks on, we really heard how much noise we made as we crunched.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Next was cold soup, served in a cup\u2014delicious. We guessed that it was tomato with basil. The next course of cold pasta salad, with beets and goat cheese, was easier to identify. In the dark, I really noticed the pasta\u2019s smooth, firm surface, the beets\u2019 earthy sweetness, and the creamy texture of the goat cheese\u2014fortunately, the cheese was mild, because as I\u2019d learned from my taste test, I didn\u2019t enjoy a strong goat cheese.<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you think people sneak peeks during the dinner?\u201d Eliza asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, absolutely.\u201d<\/p>\n
The next course was served, and after a few bites of a rich, fatty, chewy meat, we decided we were eating steak, but none of us could identify the other, slightly tart flavor we were picking up.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m having trouble cutting the food and getting it into my mouth,\u201d I said. \u201cAre either of you finding it hard to get anything on your fork?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMe, too,\u201d said Eliza.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been using my hands a bit,\u201d I admitted. \u201cNow we know why we needed those washcloths.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter, no one can see you,\u201d Jamie said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe servers can see!\u201d Eliza said. \u201cDon\u2019t be gross!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
After an easily identified dessert of warm molten chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream, Abigail told all of us to remove our masks. When I pulled mine off, I saw that we sat in a cozy room, with light wood and a minimalist feel, which was very different from what I\u2019d imagined. As Abigail revealed what we\u2019d been eating and drinking, with each item, everyone laughed and exclaimed, \u201cOh, that\u2019s<\/em> what it was!\u201d We learned that the soup had been pea with mint, the entr\u00e9e had been duck, and that tart flavor had been pomegranate. After her explanation, we all applauded, and the evening was over.<\/p>\n The dinner had been a terrific exercise in my sense of taste. I ate more slowly and paid more attention to each bite\u2014its flavor and texture, and even the challenge of getting it to my mouth. I was far more aware of the different ingredients and spices that contributed to each dish.\u00a0<\/p>\n The evening also turned out to be an exercise in other senses, as well. The small room was noisy with music and conversation\u2014maybe to help us concentrate on eating?\u2014so it was a little hard to hear, and because I couldn\u2019t see Jamie and Eliza, I had to listen more closely. Also, I kept reaching out to touch them both, as a way to stay oriented. It was an interesting mix of engagement: I felt both more connected to Jamie and Eliza, and less connected.<\/p>\n Best of all, the evening was fun<\/em>\u2014an elevated version of my own taste party. Jamie, Eliza and I had a great time on an unusual adventure.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Considered as an exercise in pure taste, however, I think I would\u2019ve appreciated the flavors more if I\u2019d known what I was eating. In her after-dinner talk, Abigail had noted that when making their reservation, many people included long lists of items they didn\u2019t want to eat. She\u2019d explained that the eye mask wasn\u2019t meant to trick us into eating foods that we\u2019d otherwise avoid, but rather to help us pay attention to non-visual aspects of dining. For me, while the mystery was fun, my wariness distracted me from enjoying my sense of taste.\u00a0<\/p>\n The greatest pleasure of Dinner in the Dark, besides its novelty, was the chance to share a memorable evening with people I loved. Also, it made me realize that I usually didn\u2019t pay much attention to a dish\u2019s individual ingredients; I experienced it as one combined flavor. During Dinner in the Dark, the lack of sight had led me to notice the various elements of each dish\u2014in particular, I\u2019d registered the saltiness level and the texture of each dish far more acutely than usual\u2014and this greater refinement of sensation gave me more pleasure.<\/p>\n \u201cFrom now on,\u201d I announced to Jamie and Eliza, \u201cespecially whenever I order something from a restaurant, I\u2019m going to read the description of what\u2019s in it, and really try to appreciate all the different ingredients.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s a good idea,\u201d Eliza said. \u201cI\u2019m going to try to do that, too.\u201d<\/p>\n The more we notice, the more we can enjoy.<\/p>\n