I was part-way through the appetizer at San Francisco’s Opaque restaurant when I realized that I had managed to lose a piece of celery … somewhere. As we were dining in complete darkness, it was hard to know exactly where the celery had landed.
To make matters worse, it was at that precise moment that I realized I was wearing a dry-clean-only blouse. Even though it was dark, I was pretty sure that the curry-flavoured dip covering the celery was capable of doing damage.
When I decided it was time to fess up and inform my dining companion of my predicament, my husband calmly told me that he had misplaced his bun and had been trying to find it for the past 10 minutes. Moments later, when we heard the crash of glassware being toppled over and a sheepish “oops” sound coming from a neighbouring table, we knew we were not alone.
Dining in the Dark is a relatively new restaurant concept where diners are guided by blind or visually impaired individuals into a pitch-black dining room and served a meal. The idea is that when you abandon visual stimuli, your other senses become more acute and you can truly focus on the taste and texture of the food.
It also provides an opportunity to better understand what life is like for those who live without sight.
As the evening progressed, our server George amazed us as he offered guidance and reassurance that helped to ensure there were no more mishaps. At the end of the evening, we both agreed that our dining experience had proved to be enjoyable and most definitely unique. We left with only a few stains and a better appreciation of what it is like to be blind.
But if you choose to visit, be warned — since neither of us told George about the missing food items, it is possible that they are still there … somewhere.
Narrowing the dining options in America’s Foody City
Few cities in North America can rival San Francisco in the quality and variety of its dining options.
The City by the Bay has a dynamic restaurant scene that is shaped by world-class chefs who make good use of abundant local ingredients. Whether you pick up a taco in the Mission district or enjoy a meal at one of the high-end dining venues in the city’s downtown core, it’s doubtful you will be disappointed.
The hardest part of dining in San Francisco is narrowing the choices but if you get the opportunity to visit, here are a few dining venues that are absolutely unique.
Opaque — Opaque has outlets in several major cities, including one in Canada that is located in Montreal. The food was good, although I found my meat a little tough, which made it more difficult to cut in the dark. That being said, the real attraction here is the atmosphere.
Details: A fixed-price three-course menu that consists of an appetizer, main course entree and dessert will cost $99 per person. Website: www.darkdining.com.
Forbes Island — It’s hard to find a more unique dining spot in San Francisco than Forbes Island, a man-made floating island complete with a lighthouse and 12-metre palm trees. When we arrived at the dock near Pier 39 in Fisherman’s Wharf, we used a courtesy phone to call for the pontoon boat that would take us to the island.
On most nights, the pontoon boat is driven by Forbes himself, the 70-year-old character who decided he wanted to make his home on the world’s only floating island. Before 1975, there were no building codes for man-made islands, but thanks to Forbes there are now — in the Bay Area anyway.
Forbes Island is about 15 metres wide and 30 metres long and has live palm trees, a sand patio, a waterfall and a real lighthouse that guests can explore. The restaurant has a Tudor-like wood-panelled dining room that is actually under water and you can watch fish swim by the port holes from time to time as you enjoy casual dining.
The menu is limited, but the food was actually quite good with main course entrees such as pan seared flat iron steak served with potatoes au gratin and wild mushroom risotto with goat cheese and a balsamic glaze. The island is licensed with a bar and its own underwater wine cellar, but the big attraction is the atmosphere and the opportunity to dine on the world’s only floating island. Be aware, though — since the island floats, it does gently rock.
Details: Entrees range in price from $26 to $39. Website: www.forbesisland.com.
Gary Danko — Gary Danko’s restaurant in the Fisherman’s Wharf area is considered by some to be the best restaurant in San Francisco.
Unless you book a table well before your visit to the city (about two months in advance is ideal), you will be lucky to score a spot at this chic restaurant that is known for its excellent gourmet contemporary food and impeccable service.
Consistently rated as one of the top restaurants in the city by food writers, restaurant reviewers and patrons alike (it currently ranks as the No. 1 restaurant in the city out of more than 3,000 on tripadvisor), Gary Danko is a slow food dining experience that offers a luxury of yesteryear that is definitely unique.
During a recent visit, we managed to find an opening at a 9:45 p.m. dining time on a weeknight at the last minute. Even though it was incredibly late, it was totally worth it. The three- to five-course fixed priced menu is seasonal and constantly changes and the wine list is the size of a small town phone book.
I loved everything I ordered from the horseradish crusted salmon medallions with dilled cucumbers to the sinfully delicious signature chocolate soufflé with two sauces. The food was wonderful and the service was flawless. Gary Danko’s restaurant is fine dining at its best.
Details: Three courses $68, four courses $85, five courses $102. Website: www.garydanko.com.
Foreign Cinema — Located in the Mission District, this restaurant has an outdoor patio where they project foreign films onto the side of an adjacent building. The film is a bit of a gimmick but the restaurant is known for its excellent food, including an outstanding weekend brunch. Website: www.foreigncinema.com.
Tommy Toy’s Cuisine Chinoise — If you have always wanted to try upscale Chinese dining, this is the spot. This restaurant serves French-style Chinese cuisine in a lavish dining room that was fashioned after the 19th century quarters of the Empress Dowager’s sitting room. This is one of the few Chinese restaurants where dressing up is apropos. Website: www.tommytoys.com.
Yoshi’s Jazz Club and Japanese Restaurant — The name of this place pretty much speaks for itself in terms of “unique.” Yoshi’s combines excellent Japanese cuisine with top-shelf live jazz concerts. Website: www.yoshi’s.com.
Debbie Olsen is a Lacombe-based freelance writer. If you have a travel story you would like to share or know someone with an interesting travel story who we might interview, please email: DOGO@telusplanet.net or write to: Debbie Olsen, c/o Red Deer Advocate, 2950 Bremner Ave., Red Deer, Alta., T4R 1M9.