Solo Diners

[Choirgirl21]

Thanks everyone. I feel a lot better about it with your reassurances. I did also take Don's suggestion and sent a note to JP House - they responded with an "Absolutely, we look forward to having you".

[Tweaked]

Having a history of colleagues whose tastes run more to Olive Garden than Per Se, I've done fine dining and tasting menus solo more times than I can remember. I've found without exception that restaurant staff tend to have a high regard for anyone who likes good food enough to venture out for a tasting menu by themselves. In fact one of my favorite meals of all time was a solo dinner at the kitchen pass at Hearth in NYC. Got a couple of extra freebies from "mistakes" made in the kitchen and extra pours of off list wines from Chef. You'll be well taken care of.

I seem to remember reading, in perhaps Ruhlman's Soul of the Chef book, that at the French Laundry Thomas Keller has (or at least had) a standing order that all solo diners get the VIP tasting menu.

[Waitman]

So could those of you that have dined solo and done a tasting menu chime in on your experience and whether you'd advise it or not? I'm going to Oregon at the end of the month and have a reservation for Joel Palmer, but I keep waffling. One concern is simply that I'm only in wine country one day so I will have to be very careful not to overtaste during the day so I can still fully enjoy dinner that night, but the bigger thing is that I am nervous about doing a whole tasting menu solo.

I once had a tasting menu with wine pairing at a pretty decent restaurant in San Diego whose name I have long forgotten -- somewhere near the Coronado, but in another hotel. Wine Spectator Certificate of Distinction (or whatever). Not only did the server seem completely unperturbed, he started pouring a little extra wine in my glass with each course, given that my immense thirst required more than the prescribed pour. I'm pretty sure I tipped well.

Oregon rainwater turns all the natives mellow (except for this guy) so you should have no problems from the staff. Just remember to use the spit bucket during the day -- or take a nap.

With a note like this, assuming you go on a night that isn't busy, I'll give you 90% odds of getting one of the best seats in the house - often a corner seat overlooking the entire restaurant. The restaurant seated you here because you sounded like a very serious, thoughtful diner, so in this situation do not read anything other than the menu during your meal. No books! (Or, at the minimum, don't *plan* on reading your book - wait and see how it feels. And why not immerse yourself totally, completely, in the moment, and focus on nothing but the restaurant and the meal. I find situations like this to be extremely rewarding, and often walk out feeling like a new person.)

I read The United States of Arugula all through my solo (9?-course) lunch at the French Laundry, and Keller did not attempt to eviscerate me with a paring knife or anything. If I had been with a friend, I surely would have carried on a conversation. I'm not sure that a book -- which you can close when you need to gasp in ecstacy, whereas your companion might expect you to continue payting attention despite the "oysters and pearls" -- particularly detracts from the moment, and reading beats staring at the linens in between courses.

I seem to remember reading, in perhaps Ruhlman's Soul of the Chef book, that at the French Laundry Thomas Keller has (or at least had) a standing order that all solo diners get the VIP tasting menu.

I heard that from a friend who worked in the Valley and dated a woman who worked there. Having not eaten there other than single, I have no idea if I was VIP'd, but the service was certainly excellent. It was my impression that the bottomless champagne flute (until the first "official" course) and multiple amuses are standard, so I'm not sure what else they might have done. Maybe a back massage.

[DonRocks]

I read The United States of Arugula all through my solo (9?-course) lunch at the French Laundry, and Keller did not attempt to eviscerate me with a paring knife or anything. If I had been with a friend, I surely would have carried on a conversation. I'm not sure that a book -- which you can close when you need to gasp in ecstacy, whereas your companion might expect you to continue payting attention despite the "oysters and pearls" -- particularly detracts from the moment, and reading beats staring at the linens in between courses.

My response here has very little to do with restaurants, but I'd argue that a book, almost by definition, takes you out of the moment. I *like* staring at linens - and I *love* studying menus and wine lists (which takes you out of the moment, but keeps you in the same location, sort of like reading Mark Twain's "Letters from Hawaii" while lying out on the beach in Hawaii (which, actually, I did)). Then again, my friend once told me, and I kid you not, "You're the only person I know who could spend hours having fun with a piece of tape."

Zen like that,

Rocks

[lovehockey]

Edit: I was rereading my post, and it prompted a thought:

I decided awhile back to embark upon a "silent, affirmative action program" in terms of using masculine vs. feminine pronouns in my writing (refer to my first paragraph above). I hate the clumsy "his or her" construction, or any of its variants such as "laypeople," "(s)he," etc. Gender-neutral writing in a gender-marked language is just plain bad writing. So my solution has been:

1) If I know my audience is female, I tend to use the feminine unless it sounds forced.

2) If I know my audience is male, I tend to use the masculine.

3) If I don't know, or if it's a mix, I try to alternate - sometimes I pick things up with my left hand; sometimes with my right hand.

4) Most importantly, I try not to make a big deal about it; I just do it - it has become very easy and natural with time.

I've never thought to ask anyone before, but, well, why not. Is this approach reasonable?

Speaking as a female, I think your approach is entirely reasonable and much better than the plural "their" to cover the singular.

As for the topic at hand, I've never done a tasting menu before but I have eaten solo quite a few times and if I haven't made a reservation I show up, tell the host or hostess that it's just me and I can sit anywhere (bar or table) and strive to be the most agreeable and polite diner possible. At every establishment I've received excellent service except for Rosa Mexicano in Chinatown, where I was killing time at the bar several hours before a hockey game. To be generous, perhaps the fact that I wasn't imbibing that evening didn't endear me to the bartender, although I did order food.

[sphere777]

As a side note, the best solo dining experience I ever had was at Komi. I had the full meal and then-sommelier Kat Bangs was more than happy to create a special two-glass pairing because I was on a budget. She even brought a special wine (at no charge) to go with a bonus course (crab and uni pasta). What a great experience.

[DonRocks]

As a side note, the best solo dining experience I ever had was at Komi. I had the full meal and then-sommelier Kat Bangs was more than happy to create a special two-glass pairing because I was on a budget. She even brought a special wine (at no charge) to go with a bonus course (crab and uni pasta). What a great experience.

You mean like this?

Delinquent though I've been in getting back to Komi, I have no doubt that it is, was, and will continue to be, a wonderful solo dining experience.

[Choirgirl21]

Got back from my trip last night. Will post reviews in the appropriate thread, but wanted to report on my experiences dining solo. I ended up doing 2 tasting menus, the one I planned at the Joel Palmer House and then I decided to do the full 7 course tasting at Le Pigeon, fuck the budget (and very glad that I did). I did not feel that I got any special treatment in either place - I feel like I got the same treatment as everyone else, which is of course all I ask for.

I did just stick with my Open Table rez at Le Pigeon, never got around to calling to ask about whether I could be seated at the counter, but when I walked in I was led immediately to a seat right in front of where Chef Gabriel was cooking. I was also the last person to leave because no one that came in around when I did or after opted for the 7 course as well so I had a good opportunity to chat with chef and share my feedback on the meal and he sent me home with a Le Pigeon t-shirt, score! I actually love it - it has a pigeon with a fork and knife and a plate of beef tongue in front of him with the phrase "Eat beef tongue".

Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed eating all of my meals alone, from the tasting menus to the less expensive meals I generally ate at the bars in various places, but Le Pigeon was certainly the highlight and I was able to savor each dish, and each wine pairing - the pacing was perfect for it, as was the setting watching the food be prepared.

[DonRocks]

Got back from my trip last night. Will post reviews in the appropriate thread, but wanted to report on my experiences dining solo. I ended up doing 2 tasting menus, the one I planned at the Joel Palmer House and then I decided to do the full 7 course tasting at Le Pigeon, fuck the budget (and very glad that I did). I did not feel that I got any special treatment in either place - I feel like I got the same treatment as everyone else, which is of course all I ask for.

I did just stick with my Open Table rez at Le Pigeon, never got around to calling to ask about whether I could be seated at the counter, but when I walked in I was led immediately to a seat right in front of where Chef Gabriel was cooking. I was also the last person to leave because no one that came in around when I did or after opted for the 7 course as well so I had a good opportunity to chat with chef and share my feedback on the meal and he sent me home with a Le Pigeon t-shirt, score! I actually love it - it has a pigeon with a fork and knife and a plate of beef tongue in front of him with the phrase "Eat beef tongue".

This sounds like pretty special treatment to me!

[Choirgirl21]

This sounds like pretty special treatment to me!

Very clearly a result of my gushing praise at the end of the meal, but the experience itself throughout the meal was not any different than what others around me had was my point. On the contrary, the one negative about that meal is that it was over 30 minutes from when I was seated until any food was placed in front of me, and the wine came only moments before the food (though the latter was partially maybe somewhat my fault for not ordering a pre dinner drink, but I had no idea it would take so long to get going on the meal).

I'm not complaining though - was just giving feedback on my experiences.