Besties Barack Obama and Anthony Bourdain Got Chummy Over Pork and Beer in Vietnam

Impact

Barack Obama is living his best life in the final year of his presidency: He's literally dropping microphones, freestyling with Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda and now, dining with TV host Anthony Bourdain in Vietnam.

The pair ate together in the capital city of Hanoi and, according to a press release, scenes from the dinner will air in the upcoming season of Bourdain's CNN show Parts Unknown

POTUS has a history of frequenting hip spots when dining out, but the duo stuck with a restaurant called Bún ch? H??ng Liên that was more low-key and less Michelin-star, according to a tweet from Wall Street Journal correspondent Carol Lee.

The restaurant specializes in its namesake dish bún chà, a grilled pork and rice noodle salad that's a speciality of Hanoi. The budding bromance was celebrated with a couple of beers, something Obama has been known to enjoy

More than 500 people gathered outside the family-run eatery to catch a glimpse of the pair, VN Express reported. Despite the many eyes watching, Obama was a real pro when it came to using chopsticks, Bourdain noted on Instagram (pictured above). 

Carolyn Kaster/AP
Carolyn Kaster/AP

When dinner ended, the check was not expensed by the White House, surprisingly. "Total cost of Bun cha dinner with the President: $6.00. I picked up the check," Bourdain tweeted.  

Cheap date, huh?