Blind tasting

By Nicola Shepherd

A Zurich restaurant is enhancing the eating experience by refusing to let diners see what they eat.

Visitors to The Blind Cow have to dine in complete darkness.

But before culinary experts make the obvious jokes, there is a serious purpose.

The brainchild of blind clergyman, Jorge Speilmann, the restaurant is staffed by blind waiters who wear bells on their feet, so you know of their approach, and who lead diners in procession to their tables.

Society's sighted who dine there as well do so in pitch dark. But it's success has been phenomenal.

The only concession to light is in the loos, but diners have to wait to be guided there by the waiters.

The idea for the restaurant came from Rev. Speilmann's own experience of entertaining, often blindfolding guests to encourage them to pay more attention to the food and the conversations going on around them.

The original aim of the resturant was to give blind people work and to teach sighted people what it is like to live in a blind world.

"I just want people to experience the world on our terms," explains the blind clergyman.

The Blind Cow is fully booked until June. Breakages are no higher than in any other restaurant.

Restaurant manager Andrian Schaffner says people like the relaxed atmosphere created by eating when no-one can see you.

Is this a good idea Would it catch on here, or is it patronising to blind people We'd like to know what you think. Visit The AnswerBank message boards now .