Dining Solo

By Zhu Yujie

I seldom ate alone before moving to the UK. With many friends in Shanghai,I always had company at meals. When at home,my family would eat together with me; when dining outside,my friends would feast me. On some special days,there could even be flowers and candles on the table. I used to travel a lot for business. Wherever I went,my business partner would first ask my preference and then prepare a wonderful meal for me.

After I moved to London,however,I had more experiences where I ate alone. I learned to find restaurants,order meals,and even became slightly addicted to the wonderful dining solo experience. I could have meals whenever and wherever I wanted.

The first thing for dining alone was to pick out a good restaurant. As I seldom bothered to consider my company’s time and taste,I could eat whatever I wanted. However,I might single out those dishes with adequate portions and nice food pairings. When I felt hungry,I would like to go into a Japanese ramen restaurant and order a bowl of pork ramen or seafood ramen with toppings and half a marinated egg. Normally I turned off the cap of the sesame shaker and put a small amount of white sesame powder on the toppings. Ordering a cold drink and two plates of crunchy seaweed and black fungus salad made a perfect pairing to neutralize the greasy soup.

I had a lot of fun dining alone in a Spanish restaurant. I would often order three or four side dishes which cost me the same price as a main dish. One favorite dish of mine was Iberian ham,sautéed peppers with olive oil and salt (not spicy at all),crispy and tender fried fish (whitebait was my favorite),fried meat balls,potato and egg pancake,and creamy mushroom soup. There were a wide range of choices,and I didn’t need to care about other’s feelings,for blackened teeth after eating cuttlefish or bad breath after eating onion and garlic.

When I was feeling blue,I would enter an Italian restaurant. The different flavors of spaghetti had a healing effect on me. Maybe it was the durum that contained rich protein and complex carbohydrates that made me feel alright. Or perhaps it was the chewing process that reduced my stress. Additionally,Italian restaurants were places full of joyful buzz. If you looked blue,the handsome waiter would make you laugh. At the end of the meal,a slice of tiramisu and a cup of espresso would drive all your worries away.

I frequented the barbecue in a Korean restaurant; in the cold winter,I wrapped up in my coat and walked to Chinatown to find a hot pot restaurant. The hot pot restaurant didn’t offer a buffet for one person. So I ordered my favorite food. The mutton,Chinese cabbage,and tofu in a boiling,spicy soup warmed me up.

Last Christmas,all my British colleagues went home for a reunion and my friends went traveling. I had to translate a book and planned to work on it during Christmas. All the shops were closed and you couldn’t find a taxi in the street. So I had a shopping spree in the supermarket before the holiday.

Roasted chicken was a must for Christmas,but I didn’t know how to cook it. After breakfast,I put a French buttered chicken in the cast-iron cooking pot and started my translation work. I felt tired and napped for a while on the couch. When I woke up,I smelled a savory chicken soup. I removed the pot cap and felt a sense of happiness seeing the golden butter floating on top. I spent a quiet Christmas holiday alone. There were no running cars on the street during the night,and no one disturbed me. My only companion was the tasty food. With flowers and scented candles on the table,I myself enjoyed the delicious food contained in a polished plate. Even alone,a sense of ceremony was equally essential in dining.

In our life,we cannot always get what we want. However,no matter what setbacks we have encountered,we shall be mindful about our dining; no matter what accomplishments we have made outside,having a dinner at home makes us feel happy and at ease. Perhaps we do not need a companion for every meal. Enjoying solo dining is the bottom line of taking care of ourselves. Only when you enjoy a good meal can you come to terms with the world.

Those who eat often in others’ presence will never know the joy of dining solo.

(FromThe World Is Never Quiet,CITIC Press Group. Translation: Li Li)