I was stood up by my own father today. I wish I could say that this is a new low, but actually it’s more of a long-standing tradition in my family

Anyway, this is where we always go out to eat when my dad is in town, and where I decided to dine alone today. Well, the food is really good and I was hungry

Normally, we order the Steak Tartare with french fries and green salad, wash it down with a bottle of Blanc de Blancs, and sit outside next to the river. It’s the best Steak Tartare I’ve eaten outside of France. Of course, my gran’s isn’t in the competition, because when she was in her heyday she made the best Steak Tartare in the world. Today, I ordered the Pissaladiere, up there, and a glass of kir royale to start. You may think that that would be enough for lil old me, but I decided to follow it up with duck fois gras on brioche with the recommended glass of Monbazillac desert wine. And boy, was I glad I did – so amazingly rich and creamy sweet!

I still have no idea what happened to my dad. The dozens of calls and texts have been unanswered. Perhaps I should be worried, upset or pissed off, but after my frustrated childhood all these exhausting emotions have been replaced by an almost Zen-like acceptance of the way things are. I figured that I need to practice dining alone for when I go traveling next year anyway. I don’t want to spend six months feeling weird and awkward. I’ve also learnt that there’s an art to people watching, without them thinking you are staring, or interested in taking them to bed. And that the staff in here are really lovely and friendly