Hands Off! The Ultimate Lazy Dining Experience

‘That sounds weird,’ frowned a friend when invited to a meal that we’d eat with no hands.

Not our hands, anyway.

We’d be fed by servers, popping morsels of sushi into our mouths with chopsticks. ‘Sounds fun,’ I countered, ever game for a novel if potentially messy experience.

We were both right.  It was weirdly fun, funnily weird.

An idea that was born in Bangkok where honoured guests are served by their hosts arrived in London at a pop-up restaurant called Hands Off! in Marylebone.

The trial run was launched by tastecard in partnership with Feng Sushi restaurant and proceeds going to charity Mary’s Meals, which runs child feeding programmes for poor communities.

So far the feed-back (pun intended) has been enthusiastic among the 160 London guinea pigs indulging in ultimate lazy dining. And, if successful enough, the plan is to roll out the experience to a wider audience.

Okay, it wouldn’t work with spag bol or ice cream, but perfect for sushi, so long as the servers show good chopstick technique. ‘No touchy,’ warned the napkin slogan. ‘Lips only.  Hands off,’  ‘Eat, don’t touch.’

We got the message as Rose fastened a large muslin bib around our necks. Was this resting actress preparing for soya drippage?  Wasabi wastage? Dessert droolage?

Thirty of us were seated at long tables to be served by 15 waiters, many aspiring Thespians.  Nervous laughter turned to relaxed chatter as, like hungry baby birds with open beaks, we accepted the first of our titbits: Nippon Mock Duck, a Chinese pancake with cucumber, spring onion, caramelised tofu and hoisin sauce; wilted spinach drizzled with creamy sweet sesame dressing.  No spillage there, thanks to some neat chopstick action as redhead Rose fed us in turn.

Our glasses were refilled with a house white wine which thankfully we were allowed to lift to our lips.

There were vegan and veggie options, with allergens flagged. And sweet tooth diners were satisfied by traditional Japanese rice cakes enveloping soft, creamy chocolate and cheesecake flavoured fillings.

Rose had never done anything quite like this, but seemed to be enjoying herself.  As were we.

It was somehow liberating (or was it infantile?) to rest our hands on our laps and merely choose which of the next sushi rolls _ tuna, crab, prawn, seaweed and avocado; sticky rice Nigiri; Japanese omelette _ we fancied, and with what sauce. ‘More wasabi in the soya, please, and heavy on the ginger,’ I requested.  I could get used to this.

One great advantage: mobile phones don’t get sticky.

My once reluctant guest was won over.

‘When the waitress ties a bib round your neck your imagination runs wild. How much mess is this meal going to make? Told you’re being spoon fed, or more accurately, with chop sticks, gives a feeling of powerlessness. You relinquish the most basic control, that of feeding yourself. But actually, it’s fun,’ she admitted.

‘Conversation flows because an awkward silence with someone who’s feeding you would be, well, awkward.

(Rose encountered just one silent diner, which rather rattled her.  Maybe she should have made choo-choo train or aeroplane noises to encourage him).

‘Plus, you can discuss the food in depth. And you take it slow so you enjoy it more. Once you stop worrying about dribbling it’s really enjoyable.’

For around £20, including half bottle of wine each, we’d feasted with fun, laughter and minimal effort.

Next mission: to find a volunteer to feed me my fruit and porridge breakfast tomorrow morning.

• Belle was hosted at Hands Off by Tastecard. See tastecard.co.uk for more information.