Blind Cafe – Dining In The Dark (Eng.)

November 1, 2009 · Filed under English, Places · Tagged blind, cafe, dark, dining, pitch black

Blind Café. What can you imply from the name? Just imagine it by yourselves.

I know about this restaurant from Hamka, my co-worker. He told me that there was a unique café around Pascal Hypersquare. What’s the special? It is dining in the dark. The word “dark” is not meant that there is not much light or the room is only illuminated by the twilight light of candles. It is not like that. This dark means absolute darkness. Total absence of the light. If you could recall the movie title of Chronicles of Riddick prequel, then it is like that.

Sometimes, I leisurely go along Pasir Kaliki street, just wondering, what kind of dining place it is. But I could not find it. Other time, when I was walking in Ciwalk, I saw the place. Ok, we decided to have dinner in that place for quenching my curiosity.

From the person I meet in the front counter, I was informed that the concept of this restaurant is just like what Hamka said. She said that the purpose of having dark condition for dining is to enhance the pleasure of mouth and tongue in tasting the food. It is by blocking the sensory of vision so that the brain will focus on the sense of taste. This process may intensify the deliciousness of food if it is compared to when we have a meal with our eyes seeing regularly.

Ok, I ordered menu for two people (the price was able to be paid, but…) If I’m not mistaken, I ordered a kind of chicken steak or something like that. I was not familiar with the food title.

The dining place is in the second floor. The first floor is for the cashier and counter for placing order. There are also two tables provided for those who can not stand the darkness. Before going to the second floor, we were asked to handover things that can produce light. Cellular phone, flashlight, and cigarette lighter are among the things. In order to avoid unnecessary trouble, I emptied my pocket and put them all in the provided locker. In front of the stair, a waiter (a blind man) give a little explanation about concept of dining in the dark and also the purpose of that condition blah..blah..blah.. (exactly like I’ve written in the previous paragraph).

Then we go upstairs, line-up in a train-like queuing. I put both my hands on his shoulders and he led us the way to our table and sofa.

OK, it is a complete darkness.

After properly seated in the sofa, my eyes immediately have maximum accommodation, trying hard to catch a light. But it was nil. Vaguely, I noticed a little light on my left side. It looks like the entrance door. The situation was rather quite in the sense of there were no voice of people or chattering sound nearby. The room was filled with gentle sound of music from Indonesian popular song. A metal-like clinking sound was heard nearby. It is probably the waiter who was preparing tableware.

The total darkness, quietness, and gentle blowing of air conditioner made a perfect blend in performing chilly ambience. I wished I didn’t put my jacket in the locker. After several minutes, a waitress voice was approaching us. This one is not blind. She’s wearing a night-vision goggle. There is a tiny flickering red dot around her face. It means, even though the surrounding is dark, it is recommended to not performing any improper behavior whatsoever. Why? Well, it is certainly because there are other persons who can see you (and off course there is The All Seeing). She brought beverages and put the glasses directly into our reach. Our hand moved very slowly with extra care. If the glass was tipped over and the content was spilled, it would be very troublesome. It is even quite difficult to get the straw, avoiding the possibility for it to unintentionally enter my nose hole, heheh… Several minutes later, a man came to our table. This time, the food was with him.

Ok, now this was rather unique. After he finished serving the food, he began to describe the position of the meal on the plate. French fries and vegetables on the right side, meat on the middle, the sauce in the farther side (or something like that, I forgot the details). What is more, although we ordered a steak, there was no knife provided to cut the meat, only spoon was available. Instead, the meat is served in pieces, so that it can be consumed immediately.

On the first several feeding, I used the spoon. After a while, my hand started scrabbling the plate in order to find the food remains which were not taken by the spoon ( I hate to leave edible leftover in my  plate, such a waste)

So, how was the food?

Well, it is because I was in the hungry condition, the food tasted good. Even so, it didn’t seem to be different with other food restaurants. The state of darkness, which was claimed to enhance the glossal tasting sensation, was not proved to be in effect for me (well, maybe it depends on the characteristic of the tongue. Mine is close enough from being insensitive :p). Besides, judging from the amount of the paid cash in the cashier, the quantity of the food is too little. With the same price, I think I can get a full-belly burping in other restaurants. The quite ambience and pitch black setting is not enjoyable for having a chat. The feeling of the chance than somebody may eavesdrop is quite troublesome.

Anyway, it was not bad for only quenching my curiosity. But overall, this place would not be my choice list for dinner, unless somebody is willing to treat me, would you? Hehe…

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