Is XU’s Solo Dining Table The Best Seat In Town?

Naturally there was much jubilation when the owners of Taiwanese steamed bun joint BAO announced they’d be opening XU, a new restaurant. A luxurious reimagining of a 1930s dining room in Taipei, no less, with Mahjong rooms and marble and attention to detail in all the right places. For lovers of a solo meal, there was one detail to be especially excited about; XU would feature two tables specially designed for the solitary diner. What civilisation! This wasn’t to be New York City-style counter dining (great for falling into conversation with ‘a character’ perhaps, but a little close on the elbows). No, these were perfectly formed mahogany banquettes for one, upholstered in sage green leather, with a sliding drawer underneath for your coat and bag.

Naturally, we had to find out for ourselves; could a table at XU be the best spot for one in town?

The tables themselves are upstairs, comfortably placed at the edge of the dining room. From here there’s a great view – perfect for people watching, if that’s your thing. You’ll feel present and part of the action, but not on show. Nobody really bats an eyelash, apart from the waiting staff who are very attentive. And because the seats are close to the kitchen’s entrance, you get the first glimpse of steaming plates of numbing beef and taro dumplings as they glide out to the other hungry diners. For solitary diners who like to gaze through a window, this isn’t the place for you. But there is enough space on your table to lay a novel or an A4-sized notebook for scribbling into.

“We’ve always been fans of solo dining, and wanted to make solo diners feel more accommodated,” explains co-owner Shing Tat Chung. “Rather than feeling like you’re eating on a bar where the drinks are made, which is a different experience. With XU being slightly larger than BAO, it allowed us to have tables for one with a good view. There’s a sense of luxury to the padded banquettes with shelf storage underneath, and we’d like to include newspaper holders in the future, too.”

Because there’s no companion to share the table with, the leg-room is ample. One imagines this is what first class train travel was like back in the day. You can think about that as you lay an embroidered napkin across your lap, and tuck into a belly-warming bowl of Mapo Tofu. The only thing missing, really, is a thick cloud of cigarette smoke hanging around the ceiling fans, which are in themselves strangely and pleasingly evocative.

If you’re planning a meal, ask to be seated at the seat on the left hand side, which has the slightly superior view. If you book a table for one online, you’ll probably be seated at the banquette, availability permitting. But if your heart is set on it, it’s better to speak to a human being over the phone and ask specifically. There’s always a seat up at the pink marble bar, of course, but then you’re not in a position to survey the room, and perhaps spend your meal squinting to figure out if that man over there is Martin Amis. We’ll never know.

Words by Stevie Mackenzie-Smith | Photography by Carol Sachs (Courtesy of XU)