¡Reading this post will take you 7 minutos! ¡To enjoy!

I have experienced what it means to dine in total darkness in Madrid thanks to the original restaurant Dans le Noir? and here I tell you. ¿Prepared for a unique experience?

I already knew the concept of dinner in the dark, that I had read in various travel and plans blogs but I didn't know there was one so close to me. When Dans Le Noir friends? Madrid sent me an email so I could try the experience gastronomical (thanks to the recommendation of Yaisa, de A mouth full, ¡thanks!) I found a good plan, something funny, but upon arrival and live it saw that it was much more, ¡it was quite an experience! Discovering and rediscovering a lot of feelings and above all be aware of how lucky we are.

Sober In The Black?

¿You dare to challenge your senses in pitch darkness? ¿You think you can guess what you've eaten blind?” That is the challenge launched by Dans le Noir restaurants? Pero, ¿what are these types of restaurants? They summarize well: Dinner totally dark, attended by singular guides, It is a sensory experience that awakens the senses and allows diners to completely reassess their perception of taste, smell and texture.

In the dark? (Powered by Ethik Investment Group) It was founded and funded by Edouard de Broglie, an expert on innovation and social responsibility in companies, with the help of one of his friends, Etienne Boisrond, former President of Young & Rubicam Europe, en 2004 in Paris, and with the help of the Association of the Blind Paul Guinot in order to develop this experiment in France, in Europe and in the world.

In the dark

The concept of Dans Le Noir is joining 3 experiencias:

  • Sensorial: Without sight, something as simple and basic as eating becomes a whole new experience, where all our senses are sharpened and offer new sensations and emotions.
  • Humana: All staff room consists of blind guides (visually impaired); then it happens a magical encounter between the sighted and the blind. This role reversal involves transferring all our trust in our blind guide, for without it we would be lost. It's a very emotional experience and this affinity really leads to mutual trust and respect
  • Social: People are social beings and even though it may seem otherwise, It is in the purest darkness where really develop our communication skills. This statement far from being popular is most accurate, dark because all people are equal, There are no differences or prejudice.

The menus range from 37€ per person (the simple) up to 64€ (special with different glasses of wine) and of course all included in the price bring experience dark, (valued at 14€ per person). In Spain you can enjoy this experience in Madrid (Plaza del Biombo, 5) and Barcelona (Paseo Picasso 10), but the group has locations in Paris, Nice, Nantes, Londres, Casablanca, Melbourne o San Petersburgo, entre otros.

Como curiosidad, tell you that the protagonists of the film "A matter of time” (About Time) Tim (Domhnall Gleeson) y Mary (Rachel McAdams) They are known in one of the restaurants Dans Le Noir?, particularly in London where they enjoy a dinner in the dark. In the film you can see more or less how it works and some of the sensations created by this special restaurant.

Begins at Dans Le Noir experience?

In single file, and after three black curtains you adentrabas increasingly in the dark, in black (In The Black tal cual), to end, enter a room with total darkness. And when they say the total is TOTAL. To give you an idea, you were not able to tell when you had your eyes open or closed beyond the feeling of the eyelids.

Before entering, por supuesto, us They did let off in a locker all the elements could release some light, from mobile to watches, ¡even the ones that only have luminescence! The intention is that nothing corrupts total darkness.

Freaking out with our guide

We attended Jordi, ¡and you would freak out when you see him work! ¡Bueno, mejor dicho, to not see! In a room where you were not able to see or nose of darkness, He moved like he owned the place. After each sit on our site, was developed by placing and removing plates, vasoos and drinks at the right place for everyone, ¡and even remembering if any of those present – we were some 15 personas – he had any allergies to give him the correct dish!

In the dark
The whole group with Jordi in the center

During the visit they told us and we were able to contrast how important inclusion is for them and that visitors understand what it is to live without seeing in such a daily act as a food or a dinner. In addition to them is important labor inclusion and give value to their blind waiters. In this case it is they who, turning the tables, become our guides.

¿And the food?

The senses are sharpened, the ear becomes more sensitive, thins touch and sense of space is given by intuition. George, while we ate we kept asking and challenging us to see if we were able to figure out what we were drinking and eating. Some things were very simple, ¡we all recognized a brownie! But others were playful and along the food was sometimes even differentiate between meat and fish. ¡Yes friends! The palate is accustomed to relying on what he sees and sometimes taste buds do not generate sufficient information to detect flavors especially if you're not experienced.

In the dark
The dish that we. ¡In the end I had to take it with my hands because I was not able to hit it with the fork after trying for a long time.!

One of the store managers – and in charge of designing the dishes – He told us at the end what we had food and were greatly surprised some things, like wine, we all thought we were drinking red, ¡and it was white but preserved in barrel! The menu at Dans Le Noir is configured with features you can catch by hand and especially with variety of textures and flavors to play with our senses.


Here you can see the articles or chronicles of other members of the group of guests who were:


¡we lost them!

Dans Le Noir visits seems to me a very interesting plan, whether you live in Madrid or Barcelona as if you come to visit and want to do something that is different and you open your mind. If going, ¡I invite you to a drink! Bueno, rather the Dans Le Noir friends invite.

I have given a code (GAFASAMARILLAS6) if you say it to come and say that you are going to get me a drink (glass of wine, soda or cocktail), per person. [This gift will last until 01 de diciembre de 2019 (not included)].