‘I ate noodles alone in the British Museum’s Japan Room and it taught me very valuable lesson’

Eating alone while being surrounded by hundreds of priceless artefacts and artworks was not how I imagined my first solo-dining experience to go – but it has completely changed my mindset

I ate at a table-for-one in the Japanese Gallery at the British Museum in a one-of-a-kind dining experience – and you can too.

Eating out alone can be daunting, and while I’ve grabbed some fast-food while out at the shops, or headed to a café to get some work done, I’ve never actually gotten dressed up and taken myself out for a meal.

I’m not alone in feeling intimidated by this idea – a quarter of people say they are put off of the idea due to a fear of being judged or watched. However, the research by Jam Prime also found that 63 percent of people relish the peace that solo-dining brings.

To challenge perceptions on solo-dining, Itsu, the East Asian-inspired fast food brand, is holding an event at the British Museum, called the Restaurant for One. I tried it out, and found myself more confident and up for eating out alone in the future, despite my initial worries.

Itsu set up three tables-for-one in the Japan Room in the British Museum and I was one of the lucky diners who got to try out its new noodle range in this surreal setting. At first I was nervous – it was the press night so there were plenty of people walking around the room drinking and chatting while I was dining, and I felt self-conscious about eating in front of them. Fortunately, I quickly lost myself in the beautiful surroundings and fascinating items on display in the room.

When on my own in public, my first response is often to grab my phone and scroll through social media or message friends. However, after taking some snaps of the moment, I placed my phone in my pocket and enjoyed sitting with myself and my thoughts while eating the meal.

In today’s world of constant stimulation, it is rare to have a few moments completely to your own thoughts in the day. If I’m not on my phone, I’m working or socialising, or listening to music, but this experience reminded me of the importance of sitting alone with my thoughts and simply taking in my surroundings.

All there was to think about was the bowl of deliciousness in front of me and the art and pieces of history in the room around me.

Itsu is offering the experience up to the public completely for free – meaning that you can head over to the Restaurant for One at the British Museum on Monday September 29, or Thursday October 9.

Each session lasts 20 minutes and the events will run from 6.30pm to 9pm in the heart of the Japanese Galleries at the British Museum. Tickets can be booked via eventbrite.co.uk .

The dishes on offer are from Itsu’s new noodles and broth range and include Katsu Korokke Curry and Chashu Pork Ramen. Each was designed in collaboration with Masterchef’s Monica Galetti.