At One Door East in Fort Lauderdale, guests are invited to enjoy a heightened culinary experience in a truly unique way – complete darkness.
Dining in the Dark, a special event hosted in the private dining area of the swanky downtown restaurant and rotating art gallery features a six-course dinner and wine pairing hosted by Greg Kovach. Kovach has been hosting these specialty events for over eight years and only recently brought the concept to One Door East.
“I was looking for a very specific type of restaurant – independently owned, fine dining, chef-driven, and great food with a private dining room,” he says. “I found that here at One Door East. The chefs really get excited to create wonderful special dishes for every dinner.”
Each participant enters the dimly-lit private dining area guided by Kovach, who navigates the room with the help of night-vision goggles. They select their seats and get comfortable, stashing purses and cell phones under the table, where they will remain for the evening. Once everyone is seated, the lights are cut completely and the room is enveloped by darkness.
Throughout this six-course culinary journey, guests will enjoy plates of expertly-crafted food alongside glasses of carefully-selected wine. Kovach offers no menu and no description of the food being served prior to placing each plate. Participants are encouraged to discuss amongst themselves the feel, taste, smell and sound of the food they have been served and present their guesses to Kovach at the conclusion of each course. Before moving onto the next plate, he will reveal the ingredients of the plate prior and the wine that accompanied it.
There are only three rules: no lights, no names, and no silverware.
Each guest is assigned a number by which Kovach and the rest of the participants refer to them. This allows each person to truly get to know their fellow diners beyond the boundaries of societal conventions.
What’s more, these meals are not accompanied by silverware. Each course, however messy, is meant to be enjoyed with the sense of touch. Guests dig through salads, brisket and even mashed potatoes with their fingers as they attempt to decipher what they are being served.
Dining in the Dark is a truly sensational experience, allowing individuals to interact with food in a unique and seemingly unusual way. These events are hosted throughout the month at One Door East in Fort Lauderdale. Upcoming dates include September 11th (a special Vegan/Vegetarian dinner) and September 21st. Additional dates are added each month. For more information or to purchase tickets, click here.
