Dining in the Dark??? Is that an actual thing? They say Las Vegas is a great town where you can experience almost anything. They certainly got that right if you go to Dining in the Dark. Now here is the breakdown, I booked my reservations for my wife and I to go when we were in Vegas. I knew it was going to be a unique experience, however I did not realize how the simple idea of turning off the lights while you eat would be the most interesting thing I did in Vegas. Yes, that is a bold statement as there is an infinite amount to do in Vegas.

We arrived at 7PM for our reservation. After a short wait we had a formal introduction with our waiter in the lobby where the lights are on and you can still see. Our waiter instructed me to put my hand on his shoulder and my wife put her hand on my shoulder (I thought this was quite odd). Next we made our way into the dark abyss. I could not believe how freakin dark it was in that room. I held onto his shoulder for dear life as if I lost him I would be gone forever. That is how dark the room was!!

We made it to our seats without falling or losing each other. I believe we had the best seats in the house, but who knows. The waiter explained where everything was on the table and we felt around as he explained. I was thinking ok my eyes will adjust and I will see brief glimpses soon, 5 mins went by…. still dark, 10 mins went by…. still dark, now I knew I was fully in the dark with no eye adjustment left. It was similar to when I went camping in the mountains of denver but even darker, much darker and without a flashlight or my phone!!!

The room was incredibly loud and I am not sure if that is because of the lack of sight or just the room itself. You could hear all the talking from table to table, but it was hard for me to concentrate on one particular conversation other than talking my wife through the experience. My wife, by the way, is not a fan of haunted houses or scary situations so I am not sure if this was making her uncomfortable to be in such a dark room, but what the heck when in Vegas!!

First our drinks came and navigating my cocktail was pretty easy. I think I have that down to a science so my concern for eating the food lessened. I was wrong about that……

When the first course arrived, our waiter explained where the Crab Cakes with Calamari they just tabled in front of us was and how to eat it. My mind was very confused. I could not see it and I was very nervous. Also, this is a vegetarian restaurant so I was interested in how I was eating crab and calamari. I used my hands on the first round and took a bite of the crab cake. It tasted crunchy on the outside and smooth in texture inside exactly like a perfect mini crab cake. I was happy and relieved as I finished the first course.

Next course was carrot coconut soup which I am not a fan of in general. Mostly it was an interesting game of trying to get the spoon to my face without spilling anything, not that anyone could have seen a stain on my shirt if I did. Our 3rd course was Almond and cheese platter which was simple yet fun as you picked up each morsel with your fingers to bite into. My favorite course was the 4th course which was zucchini garlic noodles. I do enjoy zucchini noodles and the chef did a great job preparing them. The main dinner course was the 5th course which was Seared scallops which seemed to be made with mushrooms. Last course was desserts which was Halva caramel crumble and Coconut chocolate truffles both a very good way to end the meal.

MENU BREAKDOWN

1. Crab Cakes with Calamari

2. Carrot Coconut Soup

3. Almond Cheese and Fruit Platter

4. Zucchini Noodles

5. Sear Sear Scallops

6. Dessert:

   1. Halva caramel crumble

   2. Coconut chocolate truffles

By the end of the meal, I was ready to get out of the dark. I knew I had enough as I put my hand up as the waiting instructed us to do if we needed anything. It took more time that I would have wanted for him to arrive but I was glad he came to our rescue.

I was very happy with this new experience that I embarked on. It may seem silly to some or not a thrill to others but to me this was an incredible unique dining experience. One that I would suggest anyone who want to either experience something new, unique or just anyone who loves a new way to experience food. Most importantly we left full, with a great memory and a great story to tell.

If you are going to be in the Las Vegas area and would like to try this unique dining experience for yourself, make your reservations today by going to their website: https://dineblackout.com/