Blind Tasting: What It’s Like to Eat in Complete Darkness at Dark Fork Ottawa

As someone who loves exploring Ottawa’s restaurant scene, I’m always looking for something that truly stands out. I’ve visited plenty of locations that check all the boxes—fresh food, great service, stunning decor—but nothing quite like this. Imagine eating an entire meal without seeing what’s in front of you. That’s exactly what happens when you eat in complete darkness at Dark Fork.

I’d heard of dining in the dark experiences in bigger cities like Toronto and New York, but I had no clue Ottawa had its own version.

The entrance to Dark Fork, illuminated by a single light, on the side of the building in ByWard Market (Miranda Caley/PTGO)

With approximately 15 to 20 dark dining restaurants globally, Dark Fork, located in the heart of the ByWard Market, is Ottawa's first dine-in-the-dark place.

It opened last September with the goal of heightening guests’ senses by eliminating sight.

This business not only provides a completely new way to experience food, it also supports the visually impaired community. All servers at Dark Fork are recruited through the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, a thoughtful initiative given that this group faces a 14.5% unemployment rate.

Since the idea of complete darkness made me a bit uncomfortable and anxious, I brought a friend along. Turns out, they felt the same way, but we were both ready to step into the unknown.

Stepping into complete darkness

A mural of the Braille alphabet displayed at the entrance of Dark Fork

The experience began with a warm welcome from Mariah, the hostess, who stood behind a softly lit counter next to a gorgeous mural of the Braille alphabet. She handed us a simple double-sided, single-page menu listing the five main food options for the evening, and an extensive drink selection.

At Dark Fork, you order before entering the pitch-black dining area. This allows guests to review the menu, note any allergies, and choose between a two- or three-course meal. Naturally, we opted for the full three-course experience.

The choices? Chicken parmesan, steak frites, pasta San Marzano with basil sauce, the fish of the day, or a surprise dish. I wish I could say I’m an adventurous eater, but as a somewhat picky person, I played it safe with the steak frites—though I did take a risk by ordering a surprise mocktail!

Once we placed our orders, we stowed away our jackets, phones, and purses before our server, Dave, led us through a heavy curtain and into total darkness.

The private lockers available to all dinner guests for your personal belongings, situated near the entrance to the dining room. (Miranda Caley/PTGO)

Dining without sight

Sitting at a table in the pitch black for the first time was incredibly disorienting.

My friend and I couldn’t help but nervously giggle through our discomfort, discussing how our eyes were desperately trying (and failing) to make out what was in front of them.

Moments later, Dave brought us our drinks. I still have no idea what was in my surprise mocktail, but it was quite citrusy, refreshing and delicious! Figuring out where to place our glasses without knocking them off the invisible edge was nerve-wracking. (Thankfully, we avoided any glass-breaking!)

Our lovely server, Dave! He was a total rockstar and provided us with top-tier service. (Miranda Caley/PTGO)

Our surprise appetizer was next. Dave placed dishes in front of us and—through what I can only assume was a smile by the tone of his voice—told us to enjoy our soup. Confusion sparked between us, as neither of us could find a spoon anywhere on the table… after a minute or two, I conceded to try eating it with the fork. To my surprise, it wasn’t soup at all! A true mystery dish.

Turns out, we were served a fresh fattoush salad with the most delightful pomegranate dressing. I typically avoid raw tomatoes, but without seeing them, I ate the dish as it was intended—and actually enjoyed it! I believe losing the visual of the tomatoes greatly helped me appreciate the dish as it was. Crunchy pieces of pita chips balanced perfectly with the diced cucumbers, bell peppers, and tomatoes.

A meal to remember

When our steak frites arrived, we discovered the kitchen had pre-cut our steaks, making them easier to eat. The delectable black pepper sauce covering the steak was rich and flavourful, and the fries were thinly cut and crisped to perfection. Though we couldn’t see a thing, the steak tasted like a true medium rare, it just melted into our mouth.

A sign outside of Dark Fork, located in the heart of the ByWard Market, explains the purpose behind the dining in the dark experience.

We had a great time trying to guess whether we had successfully gotten food onto our forks or accidentally dropped it onto the table.

Time felt irrelevant without our phones or watches. How much time did we spend eating? An hour? A couple of minutes? Honestly, it was pleasant to just sit and chat with a close friend without distractions.

After finishing our mains, we eagerly waited for our surprise dessert.

The grand finale: a chocolate mousse thinly layered over a sponge cake. It was rich and smooth, and the perfect sweet ending to this one-of-a-kind dining experience.

Why you should try to eat in complete darkness

Dark Fork offered a unique form of dining, making me appreciate food in an entirely new way.

Without the visual bias, we could really focus on the taste of the meal; take the fattoush salad, for example. Had I seen it, I would have eaten around the tomatoes and likely would have taken mental notes to ignore what it had been touching. However, because I couldn’t see anything whatsoever, I was able to just enjoy the dish for what it was without any mental blocks. 

Beyond the incredible food, the service was truly amazing—our hostess Mariah and our server Dave went above and beyond to ensure we felt safe, comfortable and enjoyed ourselves. Mariah carefully explained our mystery dishes after we ate them and Dave was constantly keeping our spirits high with his jokes and shining personality.

If you’re even a little curious but nervous (like I was) about dining in the dark, I say go for it! The first five minutes or so felt anxiety-inducing, but you quickly get accustomed to it and your eyes adjust. Sure, this experience pushes you out of your comfort zone, but in the best possible way.

Plus, supporting a restaurant like Dark Fork that employs visually impaired Canadians makes it more worthwhile.

Have you ever dined in the dark? If not, would you be open to trying it? Let us know in the comments!