What’s for Dinner?
We’re excited to announce what the Dinner in the Dark menu was for 2022! If you’ve never been to our Dinner in the Dark event, this is our primary fundraiser for the year and is critical to our ability to support our LCA advocacy, outreach, and research funding goals. It’s also an opportunity to connect with our mission for a short while as our guests eat dinner with a blindfold on and experience their meal without sight. (Spoiler alert: it’s not just about getting that fork to your mouth!)
Finally, this event is also a foodie’s delight. We really love to share a meal – a really, really good meal with paired wines – together.
So, what is on the menu? It’s a secret each year. That’s right, we don’t tell you what you’re eating. We let your sense of smell, taste and texture figure it out. (For those of you with food allergies, don’t despair! We can accommodate food restrictions so long as we know ahead of time.)
So while we can’t tell you what’s on the menu for Dinner in the Dark on October 14, 2023 (save that date!) we can tell you what has been on the menu in previous years.
Each of these menus was exclusively designed by the Chef at the Mystic Marriott Hotel & Spa and is a feast for the sense, incorporating surprising flavors, textures and smells. Get ready to get your drool on!
Dinner in the Dark 2022
Passed Hors d’Oeuvres
Butler passed beef wellington with horseradish cream
Lemongrass and chicken pot stickers with teriyaki dipping sauce
Truffle mushroom arancini
1st Course
Aged Grana Padano Pan Seared 10/20 Scallops over
Sweet Potato & Cumin Cured Pork Belly Hash and Butternut Squash & Aged Grana Padano Caponata
2nd Course
Burrata and Tuscan Salad
Petit Burrata/Aged Balsamic Reduction/Mixed Olives/Oven Roasted Tomatoes/Grilled Artichokes/Vermont Cheddar Curds/Micro Basil/Passionfruit Caviar/Focaccia Crostini
3rd Course:
Duet Plate of Filet & Salmon
Cocoa & Coffee Rubbed Filet with Pan Roast Chimichurri Mushrooms and Duck Fat Roasted Potato Lyonnaise
Petit Farroe Island Salmon with Peach and Orange Botanical Vodka Beurre Blanc, Black Lentils, Warm Fennel Salad, Cauliflower Puree
Dessert Buffet
Dinner in the Dark 2018
1st Course
Pan Seared Scallops
Sweet Pea Puree, Shitake and Bacon Hash, Charred Asparagus Tips,
Roasted Baby Heirloom Tomatoes
2nd Course
Caprese Napoleon
Smoked Paprika, Roasted Herb Tomato, Black Truffle Burrata Cheese, Black Truffle Pearls, Pesto, Balsamic Fig Reduction, Micro Basil
3rd Course:
Pistachio and Raisin Chutney Stuffed Statler Chicken
Truffle Potato Puree, Carrots, Parsnips, Turnip, Citrus Beurre Blanc
Dessert:
Assorted mousse station
Raspberry, Blackberry, Nutella
Dinner in the Dark 2017
1st Course
Japanese potato crusted Scallops with cauliflower curry puree
accompanied with segments of citrus (grapefruit, lemon, lime) and scent of pine
2nd Course
Warm zucchini soup topped with zucchini noodles and a cool red pepper foam
3rd Course:
Beef Wellington with red pepper ragout, grilled vegetables, potato gratin, rosemary scent
Dessert Station
Smoked S’mores – Live action station
Graham cracker tart, chocolate ganache, chocolate mousse and torched marshmallow topping
Dinner in the Dark 2016
Passed Hors d’Oeuvres
Greek salad skewers with cucumbers, kalamata olives grape tomatoes and a feta-oregano vinaigrette
Lemongrass chicken skewer with a mint-ginger rub and pickled plum jam
Lobster profiteroles
Micro arugula & grapefruit
1st Course
Soup & salad duet plate with roasted chestnut mushroom cappuccino soup
& baby spinach salad with pomegranate, candied walnuts and a cider vinaigrette
2nd Course
Smoked duck breast sliced over pumpkin flan, balsamic-fig gastrique
3rd Course:
Wild King Salmon en papillote with fennel, arugula, carrots and grapefruit
Dessert Buffet
Pumpkin crème brulee
Apple tartlet
Mocha pot d’ crème
French macaroons
Dinner in the Dark 2015
Reception
International cheese display & vegetable crudite & dips
Parmigiano Reggiano, Vermont cheddar, smoked gouda, brie, herb-crusted chevre with artisan breads and gourmet crackers
1st Course
“Popcorn” Shrimp – chili lime marinated grilled shrimp on a skewer served over avocado salad with pickled onions, mini seasoned popcorn & wine
2nd Course
Sunburst Salad Trio served in savory cones with three types of dressings for dipping: sherried green goddess dressing, verjus feta vinaigrette, yuzo wasabi vinaigrette
3rd Course
Moroccan braised beef short rib served with risotto timbale & roasted winter vegetables
Dessert Buffet
Chocolate coffee & donuts
Apple cobbler in a mini apple
Fizzy fruit shooters
Pumpkin chestnut panna cotta in a mini pumpkin
Dinner in the Dark 2014
Reception
Local artisan cheeses with artisan breads and gourmet crackers
First Course
Soup shooter duet: butternut squash bisque & dragon chowder
Second Course
Asian Fall vegetable wrap served with three dipping sauces: sesame ginger, thai salted lime and cucumber cream
Third Course
Stonington scallop risotto with truffle pearls
Fourth Course
Pan roasted guinea fowl with parsnip mashed potatoes & brussel sprouts
Dessert
Mini chocolate lava cake
Curry marshmallow popcorn
Frutta di bosco