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The Trump-Kim lunch menu: an in-depth analysis

Callan Boys
Callan Boys

Yangzhou fried rice - also known as "special fried rice" was on the menu.
Yangzhou fried rice - also known as "special fried rice" was on the menu.Supplied

The Singapore summit between U.S. President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has wound up for the day with much hand-shaking, smiling and questionable haircuts.

Leaders of the free and not-so-free worlds need to eat and Trump and Kim sat down to a "working lunch" between the two sides. Joining them was Kim's sister, Kim Yo-jong, United States' Philippines ambassador Sung Kim and North Korea's vice foreign affairs minister Choe Son-hui.

United States President Donald Trump and North Korea leader Kim Jong Un on their way to lunch at the Capella resort on Sentosa Island.
United States President Donald Trump and North Korea leader Kim Jong Un on their way to lunch at the Capella resort on Sentosa Island.Evan Vucci
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CBS News White House correspondent Mark Knoller was kind enough to tweet the menu which means we can bring you a course-by-course analysis of the historic carte.

STARTERS

"Traditional prawn's cocktail served with avocado salad"

"Prawn's cocktail" was on the menu at the Trump-Kim lunch.
"Prawn's cocktail" was on the menu at the Trump-Kim lunch.Edwina Pickles
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The incorrect ownership of "prawn's" is a low-hanging fruit, but gee it's fun to imagine a bunch of fat shrimp sitting around a pool, wearing sunglasses and getting sozzled on margaritas. Shellfish love Jimmy Buffett, it's true.

Trump friendliness: 7/10.

There's no way this bloke made it through the '80s without developing a taste for prawn cocktails, no matter how much they don't resemble a cow.

 Fresh octopus was part of the lunch.
Fresh octopus was part of the lunch. Marina Oliphant

"Green mango kerabu with honey lime dressing and fresh octopus"

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A light and simple salad with Peranakan origins. Peranakan people in Singapore come from mixed ethnic Chinese backgrounds but have a Malay-influenced culture and language.

Trump friendliess: 2/10

That honey lime dressing might have found its way on to a prawn, however there's no way fresh octopus was going anywhere near his piehole.

"Oiseon - Korean stuffed cucumber"

Sliced and quartered cucumbers stuffed with beef and mushrooms and garnished with strips of fried egg. Oiseon is a refreshing, summery dish traditionally served in royal courts.

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Trump friendliness: 4/10

The President could pick at the beef, and maybe the egg, but cold cucumber would have been a no-go.

MAINS

"Beef short rib confit, served with potato dauphinois and steam broccolini, red wine sauce on the side"

West meets west in one big glorious slab of meat and potatoes you can probably eat without chewing. Especially if you don't touch your greens.

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Trump friendliness: 9/10

Where's the ketchup?

West meets west with potato dauphinois.
West meets west with potato dauphinois.Marina Oliphant

"Combination of sweet & sour crispy pork and Yangzhou Fried Rice with homemade XO chili sauce"

Yangzhou fried rice is also known as "special fried rice" in American Chinese restaurants. You'll find a version of this dish in every suburban Chinese bistro.

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Trump friendliness: 8/10.

Hold the XO and come on down. The sticky, sweet pork would have Trump's arteries and dopamine receptors on high-alert.

"Daegu jorim - Soy Braised cod fish with Radish, Asian Vegetables"

Cod can be pretty muddy gear if you're not dropping coin on the good stuff and given the appearance of Häagen-Dazs, which costs about $10 a tub from Woolies, it's hard to know what the budget for this power lunch was. This usually delicious Korean dish could have gone either way.

Trump friendliness: 3/10

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You could serve Trump the greatest fish our oceans have ever known, but there's no way he's going near it if beef rib is on the table.

DESSERTS

"Dark chocolate tartlet ganache"

A bog-standard chocolate tart for anyone having coffee.

Trump friendliess: 9/10

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"Pssst, Bolton. How many of these little tarts can you hide under that moustache?"

"Haagendazs vanilla iced cream with cherry coulis"

Little is known about Kim's taste in food except that he enjoyed rosti during his Swiss boarding school days and has a penchant for luxury foreign cheese. The North Korean leader sure must have been disappointed to be served supermarket ice-cream instead of unpasteurised comte, then. POTUS, however...

Trump friendliness: 10/10

"I feel like such a free spirit, Smithers, and I'm really enjoying this so-called 'iced cream'."

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Vanilla ice-cream (or 'iced-cream') was served with cherry coulis.
Vanilla ice-cream (or 'iced-cream') was served with cherry coulis.Shutterstock

Is it a Beck album? A horse tranquilizer? A French penal colony from the 31st century? No! It's a buttery brioche tarty cake thing full of whipped cream and sugar.

Trump friendliess: 11/10

Of course. It was a buttery brioche tarty cake thing full of whipped cream and sugar.

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Callan BoysCallan Boys is editor of SMH Good Food Guide, restaurant critic for Good Weekend and Good Food writer.

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