Dark Table

So RJ and I had this gift voucher for the restaurant Dark Table, which expires May 12th, so we decided to go last night, despite how weak I was feeling.

If you haven't heard of Dark Table, it is a restaurant concept based on experiencing what it would be like to be blind. The entire dining room is pitch black, save for a faint 'EXIT' sign. The idea is to dispel ignorance by allowing people who are not visually challenged to have a completely different experience: to remove all distractions, to focus on our other senses, and to eat food in a way where you are focused only on the taste, texture, smell, and other senses that aren't as heightened as our vision.

To be honest, I wasn't too sure how I felt about it or how I would react. I have been diagnosed with Early Onset Macular Degeneration, so there has always been this impending doom lurking over me, knowing that I will one day lose my vision. I also wasn't sure how I felt about using a disability as entertainment - but the restaurant itself did a phenomenal job - it was more my own guilt about enjoying a night out 'pretending' to be blind.

So, we walked into the lobby area, and we got to choose our drink and our main course if we wanted, and then there was a set of lockers for our belongings; purses, jackets, and anything that would provide illumination (like a phone or glowing watch). Then you meet your waitress - all of the waitresses have visual impairment - and she leads you through a couple of blackout curtains into the dining room. You can hear people - the dining room was loud - but you can easily become disoriented. Walking with my cane proved to be both a hindrance and a benefit. I could feel furniture with my cane before I ran into it, but without seeing where I was walking, it made me feel clunky and clumsy. The waitress leads you to your table and helps you find your seat.
I found myself feeling the entire table to get an idea of size and shape, and kept my hands on my cutlery so that I did not knock them onto the floor.

Then comes the food!!
Surprise munchies, surprise appetizers, your pre-ordered entrée (unless you chose a surprise one), and a surprise dessert.
The food was incredible... and we found it strange to be eating food that had pieces in it that we couldn't quite place. Delicious. And all about the flavours. And conversation.

Of course, I approached it from a very analytical perspective, while RJ just enjoyed the peaceful nature of not having an overload of senses.
We tried to map out the dining room based on voices we could hear around us, and noticed that each waitress had a specific word or phrase that she used to distinguish themselves from each other.

It was definitely a memorable experience.
I came away thinking a few things:

1. I am REALLY glad that I have not had severe urgency while out in a while - if I needed to RUN to the washroom, I would either be stumbling about running into people, or I would simply not make it.

2. The experience could be peaceful like it was for us, but it could also trigger major anxiety or panic attacks in other people.
(When we were silent, I was always wondering if RJ was still there, since I could not see him - it was weird). I also heard a couple of people exclaim that they were 'freaking out' quite a bit...

3. I learned several aspects of blindness that I had not previously thought of, like how difficult it can be to know whether food is actually on your spoon or not. (I definitely tried blowing on food that was not actually on my fork, or taking a spoonful of food - with no food on it - more than once). I also would bring my bowl right up to my face to try and avoid spilling anything... not like I would truly know if I had anyways.

4. It made me ponder the difference between losing your vision slowly, over time, versus being immediately thrust into complete darkness with no warning, and how panicked it would make one feel. Panicked and angry and unsettling.

5. In a strange way it also made me feel hopeful... that there are benefits to every disability if you can make yourself aware of them. Understanding another's illness gives a new perspective, and allows us to see that people can live full and satisfying lives, even with the loss of something so central to what we consider valuable.

It is safe to say that it was an interesting and 'eye-opening' experience, followed by mixed emotions about the entire concept. The service was amazing, the food was amazing, and the concept is ingenius.
Memorable.