Monique M.
Yelp
Wow! a very unique experience. My friends and I decided to try Abigail's 'Dinner in the Dark' experience after I heard about something similar in Mexico. The event is unique in that the dinner features a 4-course meal which is not revealed to you until the day of the event. If thats not interesting enough, then add a blindfold to the mix. That's right, you'll be eating a mystery dinner, blindfolded. Its not a crazy as you think though. The entire experience is about $136 and includes 4 courses of food, unlimited wine, taxes, and gratuity. Seriously, thats an awesome deal! Abigail tailors the menu to suit your allergies/intolerances and/or preferences (100 points!). The staff will not tell you anything about the meal, no matter how hard you try to convince them to. Your senses will be extremely heightened during the experience. Its also a great time to connect with whoever your sitting with. I learned so much more about my friends throughout the experience.
Upon arrival, we were greeted outside by staff and none other than Abigail herself. The staff passed out the blindfolds. Abigail gave us an overview of the experience then guided us into the restaurant blindfolded. You aren't 'allowed' to see the restaurant until the very end. We were able to sit together despite purchasing separate tix. The ambience of the venue felt very relaxed; Abigail plays a great diverse blend of music as you dine. Staff remain available to assist with anything from drinks to bathroom breaks. Abigail began with a cute ice breaker, I don't want to give it away but we did a tasting of a food item in unison. Wine was passed out with each course. For the starter, we had a cauliflower soup that was so delicious. Very hearty and smooth. Second course was a salad that included fresh fruit, beets, and goat cheese. Main course was a pork tenderloin dish that featured polenta. I thought it was beef stew lol but nonetheless seasoned well and the pork was tender. Dessert was a crepe topped with chocolate sauce and raspberries, very rich and tasty. Among the drinks, my favorite was the champagne given during the first course, and the dessert wine.
Staff were amazing! very attentive, helpful, and kind. At one point, i started to freak out being blindfolded (I am claustrophobic). One staff member guided me outside and helped me calm down without judgement, very appreciative. I took pics during the event by holding up my phone up and randomly shooting pics lol (please excuse the weird angles and blurriness) but staff was more than happy to take pics for us as well. I must also add that the space itself is really beautiful and romantic. At the end, we sang songs and finally pulled off our blindfolds to see a dimly lit room with a bar close by and long tables. Very reminiscent of a Parisian restaurant. Abigail revealed the menu to us, many of the items are locally sourced. I only had two issues with the experience though:
- Food takes long to come out. I'm pretty sure Abigail prepares the meal during the service but it felt like forever. Could be that my sense of time was off given the blindfold or I was simply hangry, either way it was a long wait.
- I felt hungry afterward. Perhaps more starch with the meal would have helped.
Overall, a memorable and insightful experience. I'd recommend it for groups, dates, and perhaps event a team building experience. Would definitely return as well.