Vegas Restaurant Serves Vegan Food in the Dark

Las Vegas-based restaurant BLACKOUT serves all plant-based cuisine as part of its “dining in the dark” experience. The hour-long meal starts when a guide leads guests into a pitch-black dining room, where diners have time to adjust to the dark environment—complete with electronic and ambient music—before being served a mystery menu. “Since we offer mystery menus that we only reveal at the end of your dining experience, you don’t know what each course entails,” co-owner Rachel Levi told VegNews. “It is so much fun guessing ingredients as you make your way through each course.” The eatery updates its four-course lunch ($59.95) and six-course prix-fixe dinner ($79.95) menu every three months with internationally inspired dishes. Past dishes included Fried Risotto Patties rolled in fresh cucumber slices with savory tahini and broccoli rice; Handmade Apple Falafel Balls served on top of ratatouille drizzled with sweet tahini and beet sauce; and Chocolate Caramel Crunch Cake. Levi and her husband—who also own non-profit ONE Family Animal Sanctuary—were inspired by their passion for veganism to open the restaurant last summer. “We like to bring awareness to cruelty-free dishes,” Levi said. “Since 95 percent of our guests are not plant-based eaters … we always hope that [they] leave with an open mind to continue to try and discover other types of cuisines that may not be their normal choices.”