That's the message being sent to customers at a New York City restaurant that prohibits any talking during an occasionally put-on $40 prix fixe, four-course meal.
Nicholas Nauman, head chef at Eat in Brooklyn's trendy Greenpoint neighborhood, said he was inspired to pitch the tight-lipped consumption sessions after spending time in India, where Buddhist monks take their breakfast without exchanging words.
"It's just an opportunity to enjoy food in a way you might not have otherwise," said the chef, noting that the sounds of forks on dishes and cooks in the kitchen provide some background noise to the experience. "There's such a strong energy in the room."
The silent-dining experience, experts said, seems to fit with other attention-getting shticks that many restaurant owners and chefs often resort to in the notoriously competitive restaurant business.
At Moto, in Chicago, diners can eat the menu. In Paris, London, Barcelona and Moscow, restaurant-goers at Dans le Noir? — French for "In the Dark?" — are served in the pitch-dark. And pop-up restaurants — where one chef takes over another's restaurant for the night — have long been the rage.
"As a mother of two 15-year-old boys it is kind of a fantasy to go do that," Tanya Steel, editor-in-chief of Epicurious.com, said of the silent-dining experience at Eat. "But as someone who pays money to go out, I would feel like I'm in some kind of silent film; it would be incredibly difficult."
At a recent evening at Eat, restaurant-goers didn't seem to mind the silent treatment as they noshed on salads and sipped their soups.
One polite customer walked out the door to sneeze in order to avoid breaking the silence. Another could barely hold back a strong case of the giggles. And one couple found ways to communicate with facial expressions, instead of words.
"It's kind of like a meditation," Eat owner Jordon Colon said. "The silence speaks for itself."
Wow! that's very interesting. It is like act in a silent movie. It's very unique and rare. Well, it's very suit for a people who like quiet environment, but I think its quite hard for those who talkative, but still it's fun to try .Actually, it's very hard to find the restaurant in Malaysia that introduce a unique environment or ambience compare at the overasea. It seems that Malaysian still afraid to try something that outrageous.
ReplyDeleteThis is my first time i been hear about this type of the restaurant. In my opinion, the concept of this restaurant is weird and something a new thing. Besides,if i'm in that restaurant maybe i'm feel bored and stress.
ReplyDeleteAmazingly! this type of restaurant very unique. For me this kind of restaurant is the right choice for those who prefer to eat in a quiet especially elderly. Maybe it's like bored but for Muslim that's not a weird moment. In our religion as well we have to kept quiet during having our meal. So that, we will enjoy the food. In my opinion, this concept of this restaurant should be applied to a broader level.
ReplyDeleteFor me, it quite suitable for people who dont have life at all. Quite and eat. No social life. Quite boring and nothing interested me so. What about if i am in stress? Quite.Really dont suit me at all. If the Chef the partie who cook at back of the house, we can really hear the noice from the kitchen.
ReplyDeleteFor me,if i want to go out for eating, there something entertainment need to come with me. Nowadays, in my view, we can apply this but location and table setting really need to fit with the ambience of the restaurant, What i mean is that can you really apply this if the table setting near or closer to the kitchen ? no music, no laughtering, no chatting and no voice at all. The sign should be place., quiet area.. hahahaha.. I am not sure whether here in Malaysia , can we really apply this....
Finally, for me this type of environment does not fit human socialize and behaviour at all. In the fundamental, entertainment in life are very important.
#quiet and eat . typing error.
DeleteMusic,games, hang out whatever type of entertainment are important. Is like on step closer to us.
for me, the restaurant is unique. the kind of restaurant should be practice in Malaysia. actually, we should be quiet during eating the foods. this is to prevent the problem of digestion foods in our body. however, not all the customers take care of the their digestion. the type of restaurant has their own pros and cons. the restaurant actually give the customers chance to enjoy the taste of foods. some of the customers love to eat at that type of the restaurant. but some of the customers will be bored with it.
ReplyDelete"The silence speaks for itself", I am agree with this statement. In my opinion, the concept of this restaurant is interesting and could discipline people. Besides, we could fully concentrate on our meals in the silence and it will make us appreciate the food more. In addition, as we be quite, we could try to communicate with others by eye contacting, and this will make us understand each other more. I would love to dine in this restaurant to feel by myself such fascinating experience. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteIf I could have a chance, I wish I can dine in this type of restaurant. I personally love the atmosphere of this type of restaurant as it creates a tranquility and peaceful environment for the diner to enjoy their food. It is originally a bad habit if someone keeps on talking while eating. Thus, it is a good practice of having a good habit while eating which is shut up your mouth and paying full attention on the food you are currently eating. Surprisingly, you may enjoy a greater taste of your food compare to when you talking while eating. As a conclusion, I believe that this idea will attract many people especially those who like quiet ambience where they can relax while having their meal.
ReplyDeletethat interesting!! i never heard this type of restaurant..it unique and rare. for those who like to eat in silences, it's the right place.so, they will have the privacy.but for me, it will be bored and stress.
ReplyDeleteThis is the first time in my life heard about that kind of restaurant, 'eat promote silence during dining'. In my opinion,it's very interesting and i wish i could be there too. This kind of restaurant will give the customers a good ambience and the flow of the service will be very effective. Besides, it can manage the staff to be more discipline and responsible towards their work. I think this kind of idea will be more attractive if most of the restaurant apply the idea in their service.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, this restaurant is very unique and cannot be found in Malaysia. It is something new and maybe one day we can open it in our country. With the situation of quiet and silence, maybe we can focus more on the service of the workers and also we can eat with the relax atmosphere but too quiet movement can give stress too. Mostly when eating we need to talk right? so, its depend on person either they like or not when faced with the situation.
ReplyDeleteI've never heard about this kind of restaurant before but for me I think this type of restaurant does not valid at all time. For me, dining is the time where you socialize yourself with your family and friends. Nowadays, people are very busy, therefore the only time they have to relax and have a chit chat with other is during dining. However, it is needed or useful for those who love privacy. This type of restaurant might be suitable if you went there alone but not with family and friend
ReplyDeleteIf this type of restaurant exist in Malaysia, it would be fun. This is because we all know the issues on Malaysian attitude where we simply do what we want. This will be a great test for our Malaysia, we can see whether we Malaysia can handle the silence during dining. this is an indirect training to make us more discipline.
ReplyDeleteAll that I can say about it is that is very unique for eating style. It promotes the people to enjoy the foods and feel it by yourself not just tell it to others. It is very unique because when we eat with our friends for example, commonly we do not have an opportunity to feel the food but we just talk to our friends and the food is finished. So, every eating style have their own reasons to promotes people about something which is unique and good.
ReplyDeleteI've heard about eating in pitch black but to eat in silence, now that is something new. If I were to try eating in constant silence, I might not be enjoying the ambience but I would enjoy the food though. The main purpose of having courses in silence is to give full enjoyment of food to the customers, so that they can enjoy every ingredient of the food more. So, it is a really different way of dining to anyone who wants something unique in life.
ReplyDeleteThis is my first time to know that there is restaurant serves up silent dining experience in busy and noisy New York City. This makes me feel excited and I really hope that I have the chance to visit to such restaurant which no talking allowed during dining. It is actually a bad habit for diners to talk while eating because it may produce sound pollution and may affect mood of other diners in the same restaurant. Therefore, I think that the restaurant had created a very nice concept by offering diners eat in complete silence. It is suitable for those who always seek for quiet. Besides, this can also provide opportunity for diners to experience the food with full attention. For me, I prefer and enjoy to dine in such peaceful environment without being disturbed by noises.
ReplyDeleteThis is rare. It make senses that they too have their own style to be established. I mean, the "silence ambience" is really something new to us, and the diners as well. Totally, there will be cons and pros to be mentioned. As for me, I think its depend on people whether they prefer this kind of environment or not. For those who cant tolerate with sound here and there, they might doing well in this restaurant. but for those who didnt care about if chit chating is here and there, this kind of environment may seem little bit cold and creepy. From my point of view, this new concept is acceptable. This silent ambience will help customer to enjoy their food and to digest them well. The peaceful offering environment is just nice for me.
ReplyDeleteWell..this is something isn't it? A silence atmosphere. A quite ambiance. Nothing but the sound of your cutleries on the meal. Hearing your own mouth and tongue savoring the food and your teeth gritted the bunch. How would that be if I experience it myself? Quite curious and excited at the same time when I read about this. What a unique idea. Giving a never before experience to the patrons to eat in total silence. It also a creative way in marketing the business. Since dine-out meant to socialize and of course to talk a lot. But how about this? Can you socialize without a word?
ReplyDeleteThis is interesting and unique! I've watched World's Weirdest Restaurant tv show on TLC channel and this kind of restaurant can be on the show too. As for me, I can't imagine myself in the restaurant because I always enjoy my food while chit chatting with my friends. If I get the chance to dine at the restaurant, I may not enjoy the ambience. I totally agree with Fairuz Izzati where "dining is the time where you socialize yourself with your family and friends". But, as for those who wants to eat in silent ambience, they might enjoy both the foods and ambience too. This kind of restaurant might be effective to those who wants to relax and get rid their stress off. Well, this kind of restaurant can be apply in Malaysia for a new and different style of dining experience.
ReplyDelete