Restaurant offers diners a blind date
Thu Jul 7, 2005 10:08 AM ET

By Tiziana Cauli

PARIS (Reuters) - Diners rub their eyes as they emerge from behind a
curtain after eating at France's only pitch black restaurant.

For nearly two hours they have relied on blind guides who helped them
reach their table, pour wine and find their way to the lavatory.

Some of them are not even sure what they had for dinner as they pay the
bill after leaving the darkened restaurant.

Dans Le Noir (In the dark) is one of three such "blind" restaurants in
Europe. The others are in Berlin and Zurich, and its owners are opening
a fourth in London with the help of charity association Action for Blind
People.

"Finishing your meal when not much is left on the plate is the most
difficult part," said 30-year-old student Alessia Milani. She came from
Milan with her husband Giorgio Beltrami, 37, after she had heard about
the restaurant on the radio.

They had chosen the surprise menu, a full meal including starters and
dessert from a wide range of French and Italian dishes clients can ask
for, spending an average of 40 to 50 euros ($48 to $60) per person.

"I think the second dish was chicken with vegetables. Dessert was
difficult to guess, but I tasted ice cream, jam and fruit," Milani said.

"It felt as if time was standing still," Beltrami added.

The restaurant's owner, 42-year-old Frenchman Edouard de Broglie, said
working in the dark had not led to accidents in the year since the
restaurant opened in central Paris.

"We haven't had any accidents in the past year. And we're much more
experienced than when we started," he said.

KISSING THE WAITER GOODBYE

De Broglie said he was not an entrepreneur before he opened the
restaurant with a team of experienced collaborators from the Paul Guinot
foundation, an organization for the blind.

"I was simply interested in corporate social responsibility," he said.

He says the restaurant is the first permanent one of its kind in Paris,
although there had been several such eating places in the capital in the
past few years which did not last.

De Broglie said diners learn something of what it is like to be blind
and develop a special relationship with the waiters.

"It's the only restaurant where diners kiss their waiter goodbye," he said.

Blind waitress Susanna de Brito, 32, said clients were often curious
about how blind people get by. "They start asking questions about the
food and end up asking about us," she said.

Customers realize "blind people can be very good for some jobs. We want
to be an example that can be also followed for other handicaps. We've
had a lot of important politicians eating here, people who have the
power to change things," de Broglie said.

The restaurant had to go undergo tight safety checks before it could
open, as did the two "blind" restaurants in Berlin and Zurich. Securing
a loan was a big problem.

Ten blind guides assist diners, but de Broglie's policy is based on
profit. Other members of staff can see.

"I don't hire people because they're blind but because they're better in
their job than people who are not blind. I wouldn't put them in the
kitchen, because it's a dangerous place for them," he said.

ENTER HOLDING HANDS

A lounge with tables and chairs is the only dark section of the restaurant.

Clients enter holding hands and accompanied by their guides and have to
follow rules such as not moving around by themselves and being extremely
careful with cutlery, plates and glasses.

Politeness is required. The most common breaches of the code of conduct
clients are asked to read before entering the dark room are speaking too
loudly and not being sensitive to other diners' need to talk to their
neighbors in the dark.

Families with children are among the about 100 people that eat in the
restaurant each day. Ten-year-old Beryl Chevalle Reau said she had some
trouble cutting her meat, but she enjoyed her dinner, even though she
wouldn't come back.

"Once you've tried why should you do it again?," she said.

Aude Neveu, 26, came with her husband to celebrate their wedding
anniversary but said she couldn't have put up with the darkness any longer.

"One-and-a-half hours is enough. After that it becomes oppressive," she
said after making sure her white shirt was still clean.

Customers are asked to put comments in a book as they leave.

"It was a bright experience," Paola from Rome wrote.

Not all the guests were satisfied.

"Darkness kills any prejudice on food and taste. So sometimes people
suddenly realize that much of the food they usually eat is not that
tasty," de Broglie said.

© Reuters 2005. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of
Reuters content, including by caching, framing or similar means, is
expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters.
Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and
trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.

cathyxyz wrote:

> Restaurant offers diners a blind date
> Thu Jul 7, 2005 10:08 AM ET
>
> By Tiziana Cauli
>
> PARIS (Reuters) - Diners rub their eyes as they emerge from behind a
> curtain after eating at France's only pitch black restaurant.
>
> For nearly two hours they have relied on blind guides who helped them
> reach their table, pour wine and find their way to the lavatory.
>
> Some of them are not even sure what they had for dinner as they pay the
> bill after leaving the darkened restaurant.
>
> Dans Le Noir (In the dark) is one of three such "blind" restaurants in
> Europe. The others are in Berlin and Zurich, and its owners are opening
> a fourth in London with the help of charity association Action for Blind
> People.
>
> "Finishing your meal when not much is left on the plate is the most
> difficult part," said 30-year-old student Alessia Milani. She came from
> Milan with her husband Giorgio Beltrami, 37, after she had heard about
> the restaurant on the radio.
>
> They had chosen the surprise menu, a full meal including starters and
> dessert from a wide range of French and Italian dishes clients can ask
> for, spending an average of 40 to 50 euros ($48 to $60) per person.
>
> "I think the second dish was chicken with vegetables. Dessert was
> difficult to guess, but I tasted ice cream, jam and fruit," Milani said.
>
> "It felt as if time was standing still," Beltrami added.
>
> The restaurant's owner, 42-year-old Frenchman Edouard de Broglie, said
> working in the dark had not led to accidents in the year since the
> restaurant opened in central Paris.
>
> "We haven't had any accidents in the past year. And we're much more
> experienced than when we started," he said.
>
> KISSING THE WAITER GOODBYE
>
> De Broglie said he was not an entrepreneur before he opened the
> restaurant with a team of experienced collaborators from the Paul Guinot
> foundation, an organization for the blind.
>
> "I was simply interested in corporate social responsibility," he said.
>
> He says the restaurant is the first permanent one of its kind in Paris,
> although there had been several such eating places in the capital in the
> past few years which did not last.
>
> De Broglie said diners learn something of what it is like to be blind
> and develop a special relationship with the waiters.
>
> "It's the only restaurant where diners kiss their waiter goodbye," he said.
>
> Blind waitress Susanna de Brito, 32, said clients were often curious
> about how blind people get by. "They start asking questions about the
> food and end up asking about us," she said.
>
> Customers realize "blind people can be very good for some jobs. We want
> to be an example that can be also followed for other handicaps. We've
> had a lot of important politicians eating here, people who have the
> power to change things," de Broglie said.
>
> The restaurant had to go undergo tight safety checks before it could
> open, as did the two "blind" restaurants in Berlin and Zurich. Securing
> a loan was a big problem.
>
> Ten blind guides assist diners, but de Broglie's policy is based on
> profit. Other members of staff can see.
>
> "I don't hire people because they're blind but because they're better in
> their job than people who are not blind. I wouldn't put them in the
> kitchen, because it's a dangerous place for them," he said.
>
> ENTER HOLDING HANDS
>
> A lounge with tables and chairs is the only dark section of the restaurant.
>
> Clients enter holding hands and accompanied by their guides and have to
> follow rules such as not moving around by themselves and being extremely
> careful with cutlery, plates and glasses.
>
> Politeness is required. The most common breaches of the code of conduct
> clients are asked to read before entering the dark room are speaking too
> loudly and not being sensitive to other diners' need to talk to their
> neighbors in the dark.
>
> Families with children are among the about 100 people that eat in the
> restaurant each day. Ten-year-old Beryl Chevalle Reau said she had some
> trouble cutting her meat, but she enjoyed her dinner, even though she
> wouldn't come back.
>
> "Once you've tried why should you do it again?," she said.
>
> Aude Neveu, 26, came with her husband to celebrate their wedding
> anniversary but said she couldn't have put up with the darkness any longer.
>
> "One-and-a-half hours is enough. After that it becomes oppressive," she
> said after making sure her white shirt was still clean.
>
> Customers are asked to put comments in a book as they leave.
>
> "It was a bright experience," Paola from Rome wrote.
>
> Not all the guests were satisfied.
>
> "Darkness kills any prejudice on food and taste. So sometimes people
> suddenly realize that much of the food they usually eat is not that
> tasty," de Broglie said.
>
> © Reuters 2005. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of
> Reuters content, including by caching, framing or similar means, is
> expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters.
> Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and
> trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.

That is sort-of cool. And probably kids would be challenged enough to
behave (thinking back to another thread).

--
Jean B.

Jean B. wrote:


>
> That is sort-of cool. And probably kids would be challenged enough to
> behave (thinking back to another thread).
>
> --
> Jean B.

You were following my train of thought...
Cheers
Cathy

cathyxyz wrote:

>
> Jean B. wrote:
>
>
>
>>That is sort-of cool. And probably kids would be challenged enough to
>>behave (thinking back to another thread).
>>
>>--
>>Jean B.
>
>
> You were following my train of thought...
> Cheers
> Cathy
>
I think I might try a meal in the dark with my daughter. It would have
to be pitch black inside though.

--
Jean B.

Jean wrote:

> I think I might try a meal in the dark with my daughter. It would have to
> be pitch black inside though.

Heh...for some reason, this made me think of the discussion about the
Manhattan restaurant which had a "nudist night."

Bob

Jean B. wrote:

>> PARIS (Reuters) - Diners rub their eyes as they emerge from behind a
>> curtain after eating at France's only pitch black restaurant.
<snip>
> That is sort-of cool. And probably kids would be challenged enough to
> behave (thinking back to another thread).

Something makes me doubt that. In fact, I think it would be a constant
stream of "Dad! He's hitting me!"

Bob

Bob wrote:
> Jean B. wrote:
>
>
>>>PARIS (Reuters) - Diners rub their eyes as they emerge from behind a
>>>curtain after eating at France's only pitch black restaurant.
>
> <snip>
>
>>That is sort-of cool. And probably kids would be challenged enough to
>>behave (thinking back to another thread).
>
>
> Something makes me doubt that. In fact, I think it would be a constant
> stream of "Dad! He's hitting me!"


More like the parent telling the child to quit kicking him - the parent.


jim

They must save a lot on their electric bills. Restaurants go out of
business every five minutes, and I think the proprietor of this one has
made life unnecessarily difficult for him or herself. I don't mind
restaurant diningroom lighting that is low and restful to the eyes,
but I can't say I see (yes, pun sort of intended) the point of eating
in the complete dark. As the girl said in the review, fun once, but why
does anyone need to do it twice? Not to mention that it must make life
hard on the waitstaff. How do they tell what table to take the food to,
or who gets what? Nor can they see a diner's cane in their way until
they trip over it and send a whole table's worth of full plates flying
to hit.... what? Or whom? Not exactly a safe atmosphere!

Melissa