‘Dine in the Dark’ helps you see what you’ve been missing

Westin Manila’s three-course mystery meal heightens all other senses.

I don’t remember a time I’ve had dinner with anyone where I was asked if I had my eyes opened or not—and if they were, what difference would it have made? This is one of many questions my fellow diners threw around during our time with Dine in the Dark (DID), a sensory dining experience where guests enjoy a three-course mystery meal in a pitch-black room served and hosted by visually impaired guides at The Westin Manila in Mandaluyong City.

As the name implies, diners eat (or at least try to) in a fully dark room with only the voices of our friendly and very capable staff from the organization, Resources of the Blind, Inc. To complete the experience, my companions, a combination of peers and fellow writers, most of whom I’m meeting for the very first time, are all instructed to leave their phones, watches (mostly smartwatches or those which have dials that glow-in-the-dark) and any other accessories in secured lockers.

Guests enter the dining room, clutching the shoulders of their companions through a tunnel and are led to their assigned tables. | Photos from The Westin Manila

The Westin Manila General Manager Alexander Dietzsch and Executive Chef Kiko Santiago talk about the concept of Dine in the Dark (DID)

There were so many things going through my mind before we entered the tunnel to our assigned seats. I realized wearing a white shirt that night wasn’t really a smart choice. And I wondered what a pair’s reaction would be if they chose to do a blind date in this context.

As we placed our hands on each other’s shoulders, I felt a sudden wave of vulnerability entering a world deprived of sight. The staff, Jeffrey and Mark, took charge, leading us through a series of turns down the dark corridor and safely to our seats.

Admittedly, an initial discomfort set in when I sat down. There wasn’t any faint light source to give us a notion of where we were. Jeffrey quickly eased the uncertainty by simply telling us to reach out in front of us for our table napkin. After which he taught us the importance of the clock system, a spatial orientation using the layout of a clock to determine and describe objects around a visually impaired person.

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Pretty soon, our senses heightened with the wafting smell of executive chef Francisco “Kiko” Santiago’s curated three-course meal: an amuse-bouche, appetizer, main course, and dessert, all of which remained a mystery throughout the night, revealed only after the patrons complete the full DID experience.

The intentionality of each dish brought a burst of flavors that endlessly piqued our collective curiosity through its refined textures, mouthfeel, and yes, even how it sounds. After the dinner, I asked chef Kiko how he curated this gastric journey.

“You have to understand how you create the components that will connect to each other without breaking any rules of creating a menu,” he said.

There are components that worked visually, but do not complement the experience of Dine in the Dark as a concept, he said. That’s why they underwent a series of research and development to capture an experience like no other. And perhaps, this is possible because Chef Kiko also experienced his own dishes in the dark.

“That’s why when we were creating the dish, we had a lot of R&Ds, and even though I know the dish, I have to try it also in the dark, which is a totally different experience for me,” he added.

A fun reveal, almost like a quiz show, follows the dinner service as guests shouted out their best guesses of what they had just eaten.

Author Kimani Franco (right) and guests with staff from the organization Resources of the Blind

With each meal served, I find myself developing a ritual reset to affix my orientation in the space. Reach up front, find my utensils, drink, using Jeffrey’s instructions and the clock system. The vulnerability at the start of the night turned into this humbling realization of how I relied on quickly checking my phone when I’m in an unfamiliar situation. Or how, in the presence of new company, I harbour some insecurities about engaging in friendly conversations.

The discomfort turned into a semblance of familiarity as I found myself engaged in conversation with my fellow diners, sharing notes on what we had just touched, eaten, or accidentally squished with our spoons. At one point, we even lost track of the activity at hand and started talking about horror movies, of all topics to discuss in the dark.

With nothing but ourselves to bring to the table, we became more open to listening and relating to one another, entranced by how sharing a meal in the dark enabled me to see more of my privileges and better understand the community that this project ultimately advocates for.

Dine in the Dark showcases a community that may be perceived through the challenges they face in their daily lives. Yet, as this experience has shown, given the right platform, a support system, and training, they continue to challenge these perceptions by showing the depth of their skills and how they excel in the work they do.

The Westin Manila’s DID is at P3,990 nett per person. The concept is also designed to cater to groups, including events and team building. Guests can go ahead and book a table via qrco.de/DineInTheDarkMNL .

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