“Let’s do something different”. The familiar cry of us first-world humans looking to be entertained on a Friday night. It’s the reason why restaurants and entertainment concepts are always trying to come up with something new to stand out and impress our bored souls. And sometimes, it works 😉

The Concept

Noire Dubai isn’t exactly new. But when a friend recently decided to ‘do something different’ and take me there for my birthday (29 woohoo), it was finally time to try it.

Noire – A place to go with someone who will make you laugh.

First things first: if you are at all claustrophobic, Noire probably isn’t the best choice for you. I’m not and was still low key freaking out during the first few minutes of absolute darkness. It can be overwhelming. Go with someone you’re super comfortable with, who can make you laugh and is open to trying new things. You’ll see why.

Let’s begin!

We arrived at Fairmont Dubai and were seated by the pool with some drinks to keep us going until all the guests arrived. The staff then led us inside, to a dimly-lit area where they explained all the rules and how things would work.

We then went in one table at a time, with our servers leading the way. The entrance is designed with multiple blackout curtains that quickly transition you into total darkness. At most, all you see are red dots floating around (sensors on the waiters’ night vision glasses) – but that’s about it.

As I sat down, I felt totally weird and uncomfortable. I was running my hands all over the table trying to get my bearings right and tapping the air in search of my friend. But it didn’t take me long to calm down and settle in.

The waiters brought us our first course and then the fun began. Running my fork and spoon around the plate trying to scoop up the food like I was on some game show, I couldn’t help but laugh at myself. My friend quickly gave up and went for it with her hands. The appetizer, a seafood medley, was tasty and our plates ended up as clean as they could have possibly been in the dark.

Food showcase after dinner. This was our seafood appetizer.

On to the main – duck!

Overall, the choice of food was not exactly ‘mainstream’ – which is why I’d advise picky eaters to steer clear of Noire. But my friend and I loved it!

Not being able to see our food was fun in so many ways. Of course, there was the element of surprise. But there were also the elements of hey – how do I get this into my mouth, hey – I can’t cut my food because there are no knives (for obvious reasons), and hey – how much can I really trust my palate?

By the time dessert came around, we felt right at home. The room was buzzing, other diners were mingling, and everyone was having a good time. A scoop of ice cream surrounded by little bites was served. And I chased it around the bowl with my only spoon.

Dessert featuring delish cheese ice cream.

As the meal came to an end, the waiter called on everyone to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ for the people celebrating. It was pretty special. Sitting in a pitch black room listening to a group of strangers come together and sing. I totally enjoyed the anonymous attention.

The waiters finally escorted us out, one table at a time, back to the dimly-lit room. Waiting outside for us was the chef and a display of all the food we had eaten. We got to ask him questions about the menu and put all the pieces together. And to end the night, I was surprised with a little slice of birthday cake complete with a sparkler for the Instagram.

My verdict? Definitely a yay! Go with an open mind and good company. You won’t be able to take many pictures but your head will be loaded with good memories (hopefully).

Birthday love.

Get all the details and booking info for Noire Dubai here.

Don’t miss our review of delicious restaurants around Dubai like SLAB or COYA!