Dans le Noir

I went to this place with a group of friends for a pre-Christmas treat, in the spirit of adventure. I was not alone in thinking that the prices were a bit steep, as we ordered our menu choices a few days in advance, but thought the experience and the quality of the food were bound to justify the cost...

WRONG!

The place has a slightly grubby bar at the entrance, serving comically-priced drinks (£11 for a spirit, £8 for a glass of house wine). The dining room itself feels like a dungeon from the harsh noise reverberations and the need to shout ever louder to be heard. But the zinger is the food: tepid and served on cold plates. It baffles me that when the restaurant dictates the time it seats one to be served dishes that have been selected days in advance, the kitchen still manages to serve it at best lukewarm! Oh yes, and it didn't match my menu choices/exclusions. I couldn't eat most of it, and what I did try was pretty grim - by turns overcooked, chewy and slithery. Those who braved pudding said it tasted of a ready-made/packet effort.

If you fancy recreating the experience, try the following: Open a tin of Spam, take it into your broom cupboard, switch off the light, crouch down... and start tearing up £20 notes.
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RM
1 Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 0
Sunday, January 15, 2012

I heard lots of bad reviews, so I guess it was inevitable that I would be pleasantly surprised. Me and my friends really enjoyed the experience, chatting in the darkness and reaching out to see how far each other was sitting and helping each other pour water etc. I wasn't happy with the starter (fish), and gave up using a knife and fork...but the main made up for it as I found it really tasty, and I'd actually mastered using cutlery by then. The dessert was divine as well, but I only guessed about a quarter of what it was I ate, after they showed us at the end. There were times I felt a bit scared, as I was sitting in the thoroughfare and although the waiters are blind and you would expect them to be somewhat proficient in the dark, there was some wine spillage, cutlery falling and things bumping into me throughout the evening (I guess they don't have sticks to aid them!) All in all it was a great night, we laughed loads and marvelled at how odd it all felt; it almost felt like a dream. I've heard bad reviews about the meat dishes, so I would recommend the fish dish and don't go there expecting amazing food (or low prices), just go for the novelty and experience, as it's a night I will never forget!
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Eve
8 Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Friday, December 23, 2011

The experience you will have at Dans le Noir will blow you away – and for all the right reasons! I went last night having read lots of bad reviews so was slightly apprehensive but wanted to give it a go. I was very pleasantly surprised. We started with a drink and decided which menu to opt for - I was brave and went for the white surprise option! We left our belongings in a locker in the bar and were introduced to our “guide” Trevor who is blind, as are all the guides at Dans le Noir. Trevor then led us into the darkest place I have ever been – you seriously cannot see a thing. I was very disorientated and tried to remember which direction we had come from but I soon gave up and embraced the unknown. Trevor led us to our table, I felt for the chair and took a seat. We were early diners so it was almost silent at first (this soon changed as more people arrived). Our wine arrived and I set about working out the best way to pour it – finger over the glass and pour until the wine hits your finger – worked a treat for me and by the second glass it all feels more natural. Time for our first courses. Fingers went straight into the food – some was hot, some cold and a variety of textures. Very strange so I started off cautiously feeling not too sure about the whole thing. But It tasted so good that I soon got a bit quicker and very soon I felt more confident to use my fork. Totally delicious is all I can say. You smell, you taste, you touchm and your eyes switch off. At one point I closed my eyes but it was no less dark to have them open. The food was delicious – some things I recognised and some I didn’t. All discussions are focused on the food and what it might be. I think it’s this, what do you think yours is? Once the place fills up the volume rises and inhibitions drop - the people next to you will may well talk to you! Quite a rare thing in London these days. There are no annoying mobile phones for people to play on, no awkward silences, and no eye contact - you talk effortlessly and maintain that connection with your fellow guests. I ate things I had never eaten before, and would never choose, and I loved every last bite. I won’t spoil the surprise and say what was served but I can honestly say the quality was excellent. We were led out into the light, which felt a bit like waking up too early, and then described what we thought we’d eaten. We were then shown in photos what we actually had eaten! For those people who think it is overpriced, I’d have to disagree. The ingredients are high quality and obviously don’t come cheap. If you’re after a low cost meal, go somewhere else. If you want to surprise yourself and experience for a couple of hours what it would be like to be blind, then definitely go. It will push you out of your comfort zone and make you think – and hopefully be grateful that when dinner is finished you have the luxury of being able to see again. Not true if you were blind. Go with an open-mind and you cannot fail to leave with a fresh perspective and a happy stomach. An amazing experience – do it!
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Colette
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Friday, December 02, 2011

I've been to "Dans le noir" last week for the second time, and I really enjoyed that night.

First of all you have to choose your menu at your arrival (Meat, fish, vegetarian, or surprise), and then your waiter brings you in the dark room.

The food was excellent (Surprise menu!), and our waiter was really nice.

I've read the KC's review on different websites and I noticed than it has been sent few years ago, and it's exactly the same one (with wrong prices by the way!). I don't know why?

I would definitely recommend this experience to everyone, and will come back soon!
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EM
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Monday, November 28, 2011

This is the second time I've been here. First time was in 2009 with a friend and it was abysmal. Food was abysmal, drink was over priced and poor and generally hated it.

Had the chance to go again last week and nothing has changed. Cheep overpriced wine that is very acidic. Food was appalling and left feeling let down.

Our waiter was very polite but lacked knowledge and understanding of the menu and customer experience.

I get the cause and idea behind this establishment but one should never pay this amount of money for below average food and drink.

I will never go back.
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J Gibson
2 Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 1
Saturday, November 26, 2011

Now where do I start? First of all, everyone who wants to go there for the "experience" well you might just want to switch off all the lights at home and get some ready made meals from Tesco and get a someone with a blind fold to be your waiter! you'd be happy! This concept restaurant is just a big business scam and extortion! No wonder why they ask you for your credit card at first and keep it until the end of the night! The food was average and definitely not worth the £32! I go to restaurant for good food, nice setting/ decor, environment and food presentation! well guess what! it was too dark for me to even finish my meal! Thats the whole point? NO WAY! The food was just ready made meal, by the taste of it! (I didn't see the presentation!) The waiter was quite rude, as I wanted to go to the toilet and he said to me, you can't leave your table everytime! The university students next to me, were loving the "experience"!!! ....I am no kid and if I wanted to play in the dark, I'd stay at home with all the lights off, much cheaper option! Again, the food was terrible, no wonder why they don't tell you what you're gona be eating until the end! I was so tempted to leave as soon as I received my starter but my friends were willing to give the Main course a try...disapointment again! There is also a Health and safety issue and definitely, think about it guys....YOU CAN'T SEE WHAT YOU'RE EATING! = SERVE ANYTHING TO THE CUSTOMERS AND BECAUSE ITS DARK AND THEY ARE ALL AFTER THE"EXPERIENCE" OF EATING IN THE DARK, THEY WON'T REALISE ITS JUST A CHEAP READY MADE MEAL!...business concept at its best! I would rather be in a Mc Donalds! at least I get to see the damn thing! (I never eat fast food btw) You guys want EXPERIENCE? WELL go have breakfast in front of the Loch Ness and watch the sun rise! That is EXPERIENCE!!!
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KC
1 Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 0
Tuesday, November 15, 2011

We have visited the restaurant this summer. I have heard a lot about it from my friend, who had visited the one in Paris, so I and my fiancé booked the table in Dans le Noir in advance. I was worrying that it would be weird and I won’t be able to manage my feelings and my senses in the dark; I was really afraid that I will be lost in the dark, though it can sound funny. My fiancé tried to calm me and to assure me that everything will be fine.

But once we entered the restaurant, and we were welcomed by the staff, all my trials were gone as if by magic. I wasn’t afraid any more. Personnel was so nice to us, they asked about some special wishes in the food, or some prohibitions. I have chosen fish menu and my fiancé meat. We were introduced to the waitress, Sarah. She was nice and it really hurt me that she is blind. Once we were in the dark room, I realized that I couldn’t see a thing, and it was shocking, but really great.

We were having a wonderful conversation and laughing at each other on the way we were eating. The food was delicious, and it was difficult to identify for us what exactly we are eating. We made some assumptions, but as it appeared to be later, they were totally wrongJ Our waitress, Sarah, was very attentive, she was like a magician: once you have a thought that you need her help, she is here!

We also took a bottle of wine, and the wine was amazing! Tasting it in the pitch darkness was so unusual and it made me love wine (earlier, I did not appreciate wine very much)! We left the dark room in about 2 hours, and it was difficult for my eyes to get used to the light.

I can say that it is the most unique experience I’ve ever had. And my fiancé agrees with me! If you are looking for something new, for something that won’t leave you indifferent, I totally recommend you to visit Dans le Noir. I can definitely say that I will look forward for visiting it one more time!
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sabinaisf - View all reviews by this user
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Thursday, September 22, 2011

We had a brilliant time here. It's definitely somewhere to go as a group rather than as a couple. There were 10 of us and we laughed the whole time. It's such a different/unique experience.

The food isn't great but it was fine, it's the experience you go for and you have to have an open mind.
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Charli
7 Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 6
Friday, July 15, 2011

I never write reviews, but I felt the need to write a review after visiting Dans Le Noir. I took my boyfriend there last night for his birthday, he'd heard about it and I knew he really wanted to go. But being me I did some post research and was surprised to find some very critical reviews about the experience and especially about the food.

So I would like to be completely honest for anyone considering going. It is an experience like no other, you pay quite a lot for what you get, but you are not only paying for the food, you are paying for the unique experience. You have to completely immerse yourself in the experience. You are BLIND for one evening. And for the first time ever you will depend on a blind person (all the waiting staff are blind) to guide you through that experience.

Our waitress was called Nadine, she was incredible. She made us feel very comfortable. She never dropped spilled or splashed anything on us, she guided us all the way through our meal.

The food is tricky to eat but remember it's the first time you are experiencing eating like a blind person. You are given cutlery and you lose all sense of control, the cutlery becomes redundant. Personally I put the cutlery down and used my hands, no it wasn't finger food but I could discover what was on my plate and decide whether I could pick it up or whether I needed to use my cutlery.

I would like to dispute all those reviews that say the food is bad...the food admittedly isn't Michelin starred but it is not the food that is bad, it is because we eat with our eyes. And you fool yourself into thinking that your senses will be heightened when you're in there. Yes, your sense of smell is heightened but your sense of taste just becomes confused and therefore the food doesn't taste as good as normal. You become more curious and sensitive to textures rather than taste. My meal was very varied and I very much enjoyed it, the meals are a combination of 3 tasters on your plate. I had the 'white menu' which is a combination of everything. It ended up being shark, ostrich and beef which I really enjoyed, it was delicious.

But I truly believe that food is far more enjoyable when you can see it and so this experience actually goes against the idea that your senses are heightened when you are in there and actually they are more confused and bewildered.

I think it's a great experience and would recommend it to anyone. Its like a roller coaster, you're scared of it at first, you enjoy it whilst your there but you appreciate it far more when you look back and realise what you just did.
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8 Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 6
Thursday, May 12, 2011

We haven't felt ripped off like this...EVER! We went for the birthday of my husband and booked a table for two but instead we were seated Wagamama-style next to others left and right. The chairs are uncomfortably close so kept knocking into my neighbour and chairs next to me, so nothing romantic about this experience.

The darkness experience I found exciting and in the end we had a lovely chat with the people on our table but all of us thought the food was atrocious. The 'surprise menu' starter reminded us of 'Spam', my fish menu was just fish and chips and dried out Salmon just to mention a few. Especially with the concept of eating in the dark we were looking forward to give our full attention to lovely and exciting flavours but we couldn't have been more disappointed.

The prices are shocking, £45 for 3 courses and we still felt hungry afterwards. Also the alcohol free cocktail was £7 (with alcohol £8) which I feel is ridiculous.

The only nice thing was the waiter and the chocolate mouse dessert.

It is really a shame that the management and kitchen take advantage of us customers like this. We are come to experience and understand the world of the blind but you walk out with an empty wallet and feeling cheated.
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Gwen
4 Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 0
Sunday, May 08, 2011