Opaque
Thur/Fri/Sat nights at Crimson Lounge; 687 McAllister St, at Gough; Hayes Valley
1.800.710.1270
From communism (which spawned the USSR) to Sprockets (which spawned the time to dance), Germany has invaded foreign cultures with tantalizing perversions for years. Now bringing "dark dining" to SF, Opaque.
Originated in Zurich (not Germany, but pretty damn German), "dark dining" robs patrons of their sight to heighten their other senses' enjoyment of food and company; before SF, Opaque's Berliner owner brought the concept to LA in the hopes that one day, Bret Michaels would grope a reality contestant in his restaurant (success!). Upon arrival, you'll descend a staircase and select your 3-course meal in a lighted greeting area before being led into Opaque proper: a pitch black subterranean space with seating for 40, staffed by a team of legally blind servers as deft at navigating darkness as they are graciously enduring "Wow, it must be crazy to be blind!" Once seated, your grub'll stealthily arrive, starting with mini succulents like miso glased prawns with candied kumquats, followed by the likes of grilled free-range chicken and pan seared Mahi Mahi -- go ahead, chew it with your mouth open, nobody will know.
Opaque officially opens Jun 19, but they'll be letting in friends and family starting on the 5th. Make a pre-opening reservation with the code LIGHTSOFFTHRILLIST and they'll treat you like F&F -- which you'll appreciate so much you'll offer your own tantalizing perversion, "friends and family with benefits".
