By Eddie Schmid for Where I've Been

You know how T.V. dinners got their name? You have to be completely distracted by the television to actually eat the microwaved meal without a gag. When we eat just to survive, it goes with the territory that your meals won't stray far from the norm too often. But you and I both know that the norm can become mind-numbingly boring. To many menu maniacs, food is not just a means to an end but a means for bizarre worship. These obsessive culinary artists make the plate their canvas and go absurd lengths to create the proper sanctuary and ambiance, where their concepts and vision can find the proper space to attach an experience to the mundane act of eating. Such artists have attracted the eyes of curious consumers worldwide, who will often go to lengths as great as the artists themselves to try something exotic. So strap in and have a taste -- the Cowboy Burger at Applebee's will still be there when you get back.

7. Felony Franks
Chicago, IL
(Get served by ex-cons!)

Hot dogs sell themselves, especially in a city that reveres them as much as Chicago. But only the boldest wiener entrepreneurs take risks to stick out in the crowd. A classic example is the Wiener Circle, where traditional service by day becomes raucous and insulting at night -- their greasy dishes are served with a side of nasty from the person handling your food. A sunnier version of this risk-taking spirit is embodied in Felony Franks, where nearly all of the cooks and prep staff are former criminals who have cleaned up their acts and become master chefs of the famous Red Hot. The owners' goal is to promote second chances and humanize individuals who have made mistakes and paid their dues. Its concept has caused controversy, but the food hasn't: Instant classics like the Misdemeanor Wiener and Freedom Fries have already created return customers.

6. Absolut Ice Bar
Stockholm, Sweden
(Everything is made out of ice.)

Some things sound really spectacular and brilliant on paper but become less spectacular upon their execution. Draw me up some blueprints for a building made completely out of ice, and in turn I'll probably try to think of some way to make a pun about that idea being "cool" (thanks, Arnold). Which is exactly what Absolut Vodka has accomplished: furnishings, walls, bars all looking like they were hit with an ice sceptre. Ask me to hang in VIP every weekend and I still might balk at a chance to be cold indoors. Regardless, tourists have come decked in thick coats and ordered vodkas on the rocks with enough frequency that the owners have seized the opportunity to open another location in London.

5. Mars 2112
New York City, NY, USA

Your neighborhood cosmic mini-golf and cosmic bowling make their best effort in pouring on the spacey kitsch, but is that enough? Owners of Mars 2112 sure don't think so. They're going to infinity and quite possibly beyond in their devotion to their concept, having built their futuristic station on 35,000 square feet on two different levels. Its big budget gives it the authentic appearance of a film set (as authentic as a Mars station could be), with servers in flashy garb and alien costumes. Unfortunately, the restaurant's menu has been criticized for being just above space food in terms of quality. But it's a nifty visit for a restless touring family or sci-fi nerd.

4. Vampire Cafe
Tokyo, Japan
(Bloodsucking never goes out of style, apparently.)

From Dracula to Buffy and now Twilight and True Blood, vampires have oddly captivated one generation to the next in an almost exponential way. What will be the final nail in the coffin? Vampire Cafe has remained undead since 2001 and could see a spike in tourism with the recent craze. The place is decked in red velvet and black and illuminated by candles and certainly looks like a joint where a respectable bloodsucker might entertain a few victims (or tease them endlessly with will-they-or-won't-they vampire/human lust). There is a fixed menu of food in miniature coffins and decked out with blood-red whenever possible. Just don't expect too much garlic.

3. Ogori Cafe
Kashiwa, Japan
(Hope that the person in front of you in line is kind.)

Many goofy concepts revolve around a gaudy decor that fits some themed vision. But Ogori Cafe is almost cafeteria-boring in its design; it's their philosophy that makes them unique. Unsuspecting eaters walk in, order what looks good and then receive something entirely different -- the meal that the person in front of them ordered. Each person is at the mercy of another, and if someone tries to cheat the system they will be promptly accosted by the staff. So would you be polite or a pest? It's a brilliant social experiment that forces you to trust (or not trust) complete strangers.

2. Opaque Restaurant
Los Angeles, CA, USA
(Make sure you trust your reflexes.)

Remember how we talked about the necessity of a T.V. distracting you from nasty microwaveable dinners, forcing you to trust that every bite is something savory and healthy? Luxury restaurants in California, Europe and China are taking that a step further by forcing diners to eat in pitch black. After you order drinks in the dimly-lit waiting area, you're escorted to the depths below and served by a legally blind wait staff, while undefined "security and safety measures" are taken to ensure an enjoyable experience. The belief is that shutting down one sense heightens the others, creating an aromatic and intense dining experience. Just make sure you don't wear white.

1. Lucky's Graveyard Restaurant
Ahmadabad, India
(Yeah, that's literal.)

It's kind of like Weekend at Bernie's -- except that it's every day of the week! Graveyard Restaurant (hope that's the real name) sits directly among a real-life Indian burial ground. The owner believes the corpses to be good luck, and that the patrons aren't as scared by graveyards -- in Hinduism, he reminds, death is seen as "an opportunity for rebirth." Patrons eat peacefully among above-ground coffins draped in green, each casket adorned with a flower each morning. Yeah, I'd still be a little terrified.