Past – There was once a girl who would starve than having to eat in the office cafeteria alone! Then slowly she realized there is no point in starving and have a bad headache. Soon she was found having food alone at the cafeteria, belting HP1 thaali at Mast Kalandar, Adyar, Chinna Vengaya Othappam at Murugan Idly Besant Nagar, Saravana Bhavan at the Central Railway Station – all alone! Yeah, that was me.
Present – Work environment in Kuwait is so different from the rest of the world. Especially when you are working in the government organizations or banks, having Indian food or any food (other than sandwiches and salads) for that matter at your desk can be rarely possible and there will be no dedicated cafeteria as such. As a consultant, I keep moving between client places and every place will have its own restrictions. Rarely few clients have a small cafeteria and I can have the lunch I pack from home in peace.
Today is one of those days that I did not take my lunch to work and decided to go solo to Udupi restaurant that is at a walkable distance from my workplace. I was so indecisive to go, thinking if it would look so weird for a woman to go sit alone in a restaurant in Kuwait.The restaurant is located in a building that is surrounded by banks and corporate offices that the visitors are mostly Indians who have come on a business visit and some regulars from the nearby offices. It was weird for the first few minutes with the waiters and other customers looking at you surprised, but it was okay when I decided to concentrate on the purpose of the visit – FOOD!
I know I wouldn’t be able to finish full meals so went for tomato rice instead. That waiter anna was courteous enough to serve it with two appalams and two chutneys. I would have been better off without the chutneys as they were made of dessicated coconut. The tomato rice tasted like the cook started to do tomato rice but changed his mind mid-way and decided to do Schezwan Fried Rice instead 😀 Nevertheless, it tasted good.
Finished off with kaapi and came out happy. I can already see me dining solo or be sipping kaapi solo frequently in the future as the winter is slowly setting in here. And I truly enjoyed the solo experience. So have you been alone to restaurants/coffee shops? Do you enjoy the me time?
teakaapi 
Yes, I had been to restaurants alone, but I have never enjoyed it !
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I’m sorry about that! Was it because of the food or the atmosphere?
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I guess, it is the stigma ! I feel awkward to be alone in a restaurant !!
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I get it, been there myself!
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Going solo is best. I do it all the time. I frequent Sangeethas and Vasantha Bhavans whenever I feel like having a decent meal alone. I park myself in coffee shops, too, with the sole intention of whiling away the weekend. I have wondered about the lack of solo female presence in these food joints. So they are all starving back in their hostels/apartments hesitant to eat alone? Starvation should have better reason than that, indeed.
And oh, that Saravana Bhavan at Central is gone for years now. But, weather permitting, I’ll have Chinna Vengaya Othappam at Murugan Idly Kadai in your honour. 🙂
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I can safely say there is a considerable number of them are. And before 4-5 years we did not have Swiggy or UberEats so that we did not have to step out.
And HSB at Central is gone? Sad !
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Been there! I have made solo trips to restaurants and enjoyed them thoroughly. I agree, the “me time” is so relaxing.
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