It's common to see a party of one at breakfast, or lunch, or even at the bar at dinnertime, where televisions and bartenders stand in for more intimate companionship.

But dining out alone — at a table, in the dining room — is rare. It is a conspicuous act, one that is noticed. It requires a certain confidence, a willingness to face the inevitable question, "Just one tonight?" and not hear, "How pathetic." It is not for everybody.