The buzz: The unique concept of dining in a pitch black room, which has swept the world, has finally arrived in Singapore.
The vibe: Down a (much needed) aperitif to loosen you up before being led upstairs for dinner by well-trained servers—all blind or visually impaired. You can’t actually see the second floor dining room (see picture above). But they play soothing melodies to make what could be a stressful situation more relaxing.
The food: Modern European fare cooked up by chef de cuisine Desmond Lee (Private Affairs and Ember). There’s a three-course prix fixe menu ($78) and each course comprises four little bowls, which you are instructed to eat in a clockwise direction. The good thing is that you can bring the dishes up to your mouth and just shovel it in— who cares about manners? No one’s watching. What you’re eating each night is kept a surprise— you might mistake duck confit for chicken, or a soft-cooked egg for jelly.
The drinks: Order creative swigs, like A Touch of Rose—a mix of gin with lime, cucumber and rose water—at the bar before or after the meal. Drinks during the meal are kept quite simple (just bottled water) to minimize mess and spillage.
Why you’ll be back: It may seem gimmicky but a meal here’s plain good fun—it’ll put your senses to the test. There’s something rather transgressive about the cover of darkness.
