There are a more than a few “don’t miss” dining events in Louisville, which is a challenge for most people’s time and money budgets. But if you have to cut the list to make sure you go to at least one, the Lights Out Dinner at the Mayan Café (813 E. Market St.) is that event.
If you can help it, do not skip this.
This is the third year the restaurant has teamed up with the IdeaFestival’s IF University to host a dinner where patrons eat blindfolded. The point is to increase your reliance on your senses of taste and smell to interpret what your brain believes is actually in your mouth.
Since the menu is a mystery, after each course, chef and co-owner Bruce Ucan comes from the kitchen with a completed version of what guests have eaten and describes in detail what was on their plates. Co-owner Anne Shadle also describes each drink and why it was paired with each dish.
Sometimes you guess those ingredients correctly, most times not, which makes it great fun.
To ensure you know where the food and drink are, servers bring each to you and gently place your hand on your fork or drink. From there, you’re on your own, and where your hands—and sometimes the food—wind up can be amusing.
You’ll also find that without the ability to lip read other’s conversations, people tend to speak louder. When we’ve attended Lights Out meals in the past, the room becomes amazingly loud, which is funny in itself.
So, imagine that scene mixed in with Ucan’s incredible food and you’ve got the makings of a stellar evening, especially at a cost of $55 (plus tax and gratuity).
Shadle told us there are a few seats left, so get yours now by calling 502-566-0651.
