Nox- Dine in the Dark
In our modern
culture where we are often overwhelmed by sensory stimulation, the focus on
visual presentation is constantly increasing. Now, how would you feel if you
could not see and were living in total darkness?
At Nox - Dine in
the Dark, we will take you on a journey through tastes and textures, a
multi-sensory dining experience that will tantalize your taste buds and open
your mind. We invite you to temporarily surrender one of your dominant senses,
sight, in exchange for enhancing the other four, allowing you to completely
re-evaluate your perception of the world around you. (http://www.noxdineinthedark.com)
NOX – Dining in the Dark Concept
(Spoilers
It was my
birthday. And as a tradition, my dear boyfriend would take me somewhere
special to celebrate. Usually, we would go for a buffet. With its huge spread
of food, there is something for everyone. However, this year, I decided that
instead of the usual buffet, I wanted something special.
I have ruled
out buffet for a while after binging myself during the meal to get the most
value out of my money, only to end up feeling too full and uncomfortable.
I had heard
of this fine-dining restaurant called NOX,
with a really cool concept of dining in the dark. I have never dined in the
dark, it was something different, and I thought, why not let’s give this a try?
Pre-dining Experience
When we
first entered the restaurant, a warm host greeted us. She guided us to a
waiting area and briefed us on what to expect for the dining experience. We
were supposed to leave our bags, hand phones, and any light emitting devices in
the lockers provided.
The waiting
area is actually a drinks lounge where guests could order pre-meal drinks
(chargeable). We decided to just have still water. We did not know this too was chargeable until much later! (S$8++). At this stage, there
was a small appetizer provided. It was some raw fish with fish roe. It was
quite nice and refreshing.
So far so good, I was looking forward to the
experience ahead.
The wait was
about 15 minutes. Before we were ushered upstairs (where food will be served),
we were told to visit the rest room as it would be difficult to go to the
toilet halfway during our meal.
Soon, we
were all prepared. I was feeling rather excited and apprehensive at the same
time.
At the
stairway, our guide, Hamili, was waiting for us. He introduced himself and told
me to wrap my hands around his arms as he guided us up into darkness slowly. It
was getting dark and I could not see a thing. I felt a little scared.
Dining in the Dark
When we
arrived at the top, it was PITCH-DARK. I could not see a thing! To imagine how
dark it was, just close your eyes! It was that dark. I could not see anything.
We were led to our seats. Hamili tapped the back of our seat and told us to
take a seat.
A wave of
anxiety hit me. I did not know how I was going to survive through the whole
meal without being able to see a thing. I felt so handicapped. My eyes were not
working!
I felt
around for my utensils and for my cup. It was a weird sensation. I have never
been to a place THIS dark. Usually when I am somewhere dark, it would only take
a few moments before my eyes could adjust to the darkness.
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My boyfriend
was equally amazed. He asked our guide, Hamili, aka the one serving us food,
whether he was wearing night vision goggles or something as it was impossible for him to orientate himself in the dark.
That was
when Hamili said, “My dear, even if I am wearing night vision goggles, I would
not be able to see…because I am blind.”
“Oh…” A wave
of realization hit me. No wonder they were able to move around with so much
ease. In an environment like this, they are the experts. I can’t help but
wonder how life must be like for them. For us, we could anticipate the end of
the meal and see daylight again, but for them, darkness is all they see.
The Food
Our food was
served in small bowls. There would be an appetizer, main course, and dessert.
Each palate has 4 different bowls of sample size portions. There would be a
total of 12 dishes served throughout the meal. The small bowls is to allow us
to eat with ease.
We were told
to start from the dish closest to us and move in a clockwise direction to
sample all the different dishes. (see image: start from 1, end at 4)
It was an
interesting experience, first smelling the food, and then tasting it. Without
the sight, we could focus all our attention on the flavor of the food and
enjoying the taste of it fully. I am still amazed at how our servers could locate us in the dark to clear our plates and serve us our food. :D
Not going to
disclose all the food we ate, but I will be attaching the feedback form I wrote
at the end of the meal and from there, you can get an idea of the food served.
My Reflections from the Experience
Our sense of sight is really important.
Sometimes,
we tend to take things we have for granted. One of it is our sight. Without our
sight, our experiences on this earth are greatly limited. Even eating out is
just not as fun. Imagine not being able to see your loved ones! Throughout the
meal, I could not see the face of my boyfriend, or even the food I was eating,
it was quite depressing.
As we were
led out of the place after our meal, I felt liberated as I see a stream of
light. It was happiness. Happiness from appreciating something I often take for
granted.
In darkness, you see the best and worst of
people.
When you
know you cannot be seen, some people become less self-conscious and start showing their
true selves. During our dining experience, there was this pair of female
sitting near us. They were talking loudly, rude and impatient. From the way
they talked, I figured they should be aunties at least in their last thirties
or forties.
However,
when we came out of darkness, I realized that they were well-dressed ladies in
their early thirties at most. You would not have imagined them speaking the way
they did when they were up there.
Good chance for you to observe yourself.
In the dark,
it is a good chance for you to gain more self-awareness. Being thrown into an
entirely new situation, you can observe what your internal conversations are.
For me, I realized I kept trying to compare myself to others. Even in the dark,
I was wondering how come some people could get so comfortable in the dark so
quickly and were chatting and laughing away, while I was there feeling tense
and uncomfortable.
A Funny Moment
While dining
in the dark, my cheeky boyfriend decided he should sing me a ‘Happy Birthday’ song
since it was my birthday. Out of the blue, a Birthday song echoed through the restaurant. For a moment, I was so glad it was pitch dark and
no one could be my reddened face. At the end of his song, the whole restaurant
started clapping and wolf-whistling. It was quite funny since no one could see
anyone.
My Afterthoughts
The food was
flavorful. However, for the price, the food could have been better. Mixture of
the different tastes could be better played with. Some dishes were simple and
rather predictable.
Tips for those intending to go: As the menu
is standard and you won’t know what would be served, it is important for you to
indicate any food allergies or preferences you have. For me, I indicated no
beef, but if I were to go there again, I would also write no fried food. Some
of the dishes were rather heavy and fried and thus, not to my liking.
So, do
indicate clearly what you do not take, as they can serve rather exotic dishes at
times. (e.g. foie gras, beef tongue).
Review
If you have
some cash to spare and dining in the dark sounds appealing to you, this is
something you should try!
The concept
is cool, unique, but food could be better for the price.
Price:
S$88++/pax
+65 6298 0708
269 Beach Road Singapore 199546
Make your reservation now at: http://www.noxdineinthedark.com/reservations/
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