Dining Solo: terrifying or blessing

Single, female, solo dining was the topic of the article I read from a travel writer. She wrote about the pains of eating alone in her travels, but also the joys of meeting or talking to new people, some with amazing stories during her trip to Europe. So I decided to put it to test for myself.

I am single, female and in New York. I often eat alone and have become comfy with it in NYC. Like the writer, we try to shy away from sit down restaurants so we don't feel the "solo diner effect". But what if for a change, eating alone results in meeting someone new and having a good conversation. After much contemplation, I ended up in Nippori, a Japanese spot behind a church.

They sat me in the bar. Ok, seating for solo diners I think. My back was towards everyone and I faced an array of drinks with Japanese, English & Chinese labels, along with 2 flat screen tvs. As I ordered a smiling wait staff stands to the side but sort of behind me. After my order wait staff was gone. I was hoping to strike a conversation with someone, but no one but me sat at the bar. Initially, what may be the manager came to get something at the bar. I look around to my left and right, staff are just on their own and everyone was sitting with someone.

I looked around again and this time the manager asked if I needed something, I noded no but complimented that the food was good. I've had tonkatsu don before but I must say this is different. The blending of egg, meat and the onions (I don't usually eat onions) was well put together.

Check on me, please so we can strike a conversation, I thought as the wait staff was walking behind me. Nope. I suddenly realized that the room is quiet with the exception of the tv noise, some music and low conversation. I looked behind, patrons left. It was just me, a family of 4 and the staff. I wondered if it's a NYC culture of independence, or leave patrons alone. I spent most of my dining writing this blog, no conversations; no new people. Good comfy food. Check please!