A new concept of dinner
Dans Le Noir?, which translated from French to Spanish means In the dark?, is the name with which they baptized more than 20 years ago in Paris the first restaurant that has as its concept dine in total darkness. The story begins when two partners come together to create a new restaurant idea. One of them is blind, so they decide to merge the good gastronomy with challenge to the senses. From this moment on, there are many cities that have been encouraged to open a Dans Le Noir, among them, Barcelona and Madrid. The truth is that the Barcelona restaurant is no longer active. In 2020, after 12 years and due to the economic crisis, the premises located in the Ciutadella park closed. Although in Spain you can still enjoy this experience in the Plaza del Biombo, 400 meters from the Plaza Mayor in Madrid.
A sensory experience with a dinner in the dark
Maité Sutto is the director in Spain of Dans Le Noir and defines the experience lived in the restaurant as “a unique sensory and human experience”. Not only for its delicious menu, but also for the work of including blind people who work in the restaurant. A dinner in total darkness allows us to leave behind the saying of "we eat with our eyes" to make way for the other senses to come into action. giving free rein to taste and smell, this very original experience makes us forget about the omnipresence of sight.
Blind waiters and a surprise menu
What better way is there to find your way around in the dark than with a blind guide? In Dans Le Noir, from the beginning of the experience, the lights are completely off and a mask is placed on each of the diners as soon as they enter. You can't see anything at all. Neither in the corridors, nor in the living room, nor even in the bathrooms there is a single beam of light. That is why the waiters, (rather than acting as waiters), act as guides. Its blind or visually impaired people that since the diners enter the restaurant, they become the eyes of the other. They tell them where to go on the way to their table. Once located at their tables, they are offered a surprise menu. The dishes served are part of the Mediterranean gastronomy, mixing textures and flavors. So if you were thinking of trying something new and living an unforgettable experience, Dans Le Noir is your place!
