Dining Desperation

I suppose it's a bad idea to ridicule a new Los Angeles dining concept—meals served in absolute darkness.

Although I have to say, if it catches on, restaurant owners are going to save a fortune on ambience.

A lawyer who came up with the idea is serving so-called gourmet meals in a pitch-black banquet hall. Here's the high concept: When you're on a blind date, why not go all the way?

The reason this gimmick is hard to ridicule is that it's apparently giving employment opportunities to blind waiters—not that I ever knew there were career opportunities for the blind in this line of work. I mean, aren't waiters your first line of defense against finding a fly in the soup?

One waiter, pleased with the opportunity, said, "This is something I could do with the skill level I had."

So I'm loathe to say it absolutely makes no sense. And considering how pointless most blind dates turn out to be, I suggest that participants in these dinners actually meet for the first time in the unlit room, across from each other at their darkened table.

This way they won't see each other until they've finished dinner and have quiche in their hair, béarnaise on their clothes, and a few extra pounds packed on. They'll know exactly what life will look like after they're married.