Salisbury's events, which she hosts for the public at Camaje and privately throughout the Northeast and Florida, also incorporate musicians, vocalists and even tap dancers to feed the audible appetite. Employees occasionally will even rub patrons' shoulders to enhance the evening.

"At one point I felt someone rubbing my back and I thought it was my husband," Peschiera says. "It was one of the Dark Dining people, which came as a big surprise—when I went to hold his hand, it was a woman's!" Whether dark dining has yet to arrive in your area or you’d rather limit blindfold use to the comfort of your own home, the concept is easy to replicate as long as you have at least one watchful eye around and a sense of adventure.

For more information: New York Dark Dining Projects www.darkdiningprojects.com Los Angeles/San Diego Opaque www.darkdining.com