A table for one, please(2)

I never expect a good seat by the window, because I often end up sharing a table with strangers or tucking myself into a corner seat close to a washroom or the kitchen. The pitiful, curious looks I attract from waiters and other diners make me wonder if the expression on my face reads: "I'm a poor leftover woman."

That's why I was surprised and pleased to discover that some restaurants in Shanghai positively welcome solo diners, and even provide books, magazines and comics to help unaccompanied people avoid boredom during the wait for their meal to arrive at the table.

"People are increasingly willing to eat alone in Shanghai. They enjoy their own company, and I'm glad I can offer them a good place," says Huang Xiaopei, who owns a fancy restaurant in a Western-style mansion with a rooftop dining space. Huang's January Cafe & Restaurant, which offers single-person afternoon teas and menus, is rapidly gaining a name among customers.

The large number of unmarried middle-class people in Shanghai and the city's size mean there's great potential for non-reservation restaurants that embrace solo diners, says Huang, who believes the service her establishment offers would be impossible in smaller cities where it's more convenient and faster for people to head home and eat with their families

In Shanghai's restaurants, I can order a half-bowl of noodles, a single sushi instead of the usual plate of four, and half-portions of meat and vegetables for an individual hotpot. That's really a boon for those striking out alone and eager to try a variety of dishes, but are concerned that no one else is there to share the plates that traditionally provide enough food for two to four people.

It's pleasing to eat alone in the comfort of the bar area without having to ask the waiters to hold the shallots because my companion doesn't like them. Also, I can enjoy delicious dishes in peace with no small talk between mouthfuls. However, it seems that I'm in the minority.

At Yuangu Ramen, the cashier told me the bar area is only full when the restaurant is busy, and most solitary diners appear to feel pressured eating in there, so they prefer to sit at a table for parties of two or four.

It will take time to dispel the stigma attached to dining alone, to fight against the bias that solo diners are anti-social people in a society that emphasizes a collectivist culture. At least some of China's bigger cities, such as Shanghai where the Japanese TV series Lonely Foodies is hugely popular, are finally taking a step forward.