Obama's Got Mad Chopstick Skills, According to Anthony Bourdain

The two dined together in Hanoi this week

During a historic visit to Vietnam this week, President Obama had dinner with Anthony Bourdain at a tiny Hanoi restaurant known for its bún chả. While we'd certainly like to have been a fly on the wall for this momentous occasion, thankfully their conversation will be included in an upcoming episode of Bourdain's CNN series, Parts Unknown. In the meantime, Bourdain has taken to the Li.st app to divulge some details on his meal with the leader of the free world.

First off, let it be known that Obama's pretty good with chopsticks: "He handled the sticky, hard to separate noodles that accompany the pork and the broth components of Bun Cha skillfully," Bourdain writes.

He also dubs the Prez an "Asiaphile," saying, "He spoke wistfully of his time in Indonesia and his memories of the smells and flavors of street food there." (Bourdain and Obama: kindred spirits?)

But perhaps most interesting is how the locals reacted to Obama dining at a humble street-side restaurant, where the tab was reportedly $6: "The effect was unbelievable," Bourdain writes. "People were actually crying the next day, describing to me their shock and their pride, the reactions of their neighbors, to this completely unexpected choice of meal — and the venue."

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