‘Biden Meal’ Brings Good Fortune to Beijing Eatery
EVEN THOUGH U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and four others only had to pay 79 yuan (US$12.37) for their lunch at a local Beijing restaurant last week, Yao’s Fried Liver restaurant has earned many times of that back as customers are now eager to try what Biden had.
(Photo: Chinese diners crowd Beijing’s Yao’s Fried Liver restaurant on Aug. 22, after the restaurant’s popularity soared due to U.S. Vice President Joe Biden’s impromptu meal there last week. Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images)
While dining at the restaurant in between his state meetings with China’s communist apparatchiks last Thursday, the vice president and his guests had five bowls of noodles with black beans and meat sauce, 10 meat buns, cucumber salad, yam salad, potato salad, and Coca Cola—selections that have been dubbed the “Biden Meal” by locals and visitors.
According to Reuters, staff at the small restaurant said the number of customers having the noodles has risen by four times since Biden’s visit. Many have also come in to order what they call the “Biden Meal” despite that it is not on the menu, though owner Yao Yan said she plans to include it soon.
Yao told Reuters Television:
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden came to my restaurant for lunch just like an ordinary customer, and we treated him like an everyday guest who came from far away. We didn’t give him any discounts or special offers.
Even though Yao treated Biden just like an “everyday guest,” other Chinese people certainly did not. Ever since Biden dined there, the restaurant’s become a must-see tourist destination.
Netizen Wenzhou’s Ah Zhi (温州阿志) said:
Beijing here I come! Where is Yao’s Fried Liver?
Monoheok commented:
My train has arrived in western Beijing. Does anyone know Yao’s Fried Liver’s delivery phone number? I want to buy the noodles that the U.S. vice president had.
January 29th (大年廿九) commented:
I arrived at Yao’s Fried Liver, where Biden had black bean noodles, but unfortunately the restaurant doesn’t run 24/7. Maybe next time.
Yejisuiyu (也霁碎语), a Beijing resident, said:
While at the subway station, someone stopped me to ask, “which exit should I take if I’m going to the fried liver restaurant?” He didn’t even bother to say the name of the restaurant! Yao’s Fried Liver is sure famous.
constantine926 commented:
I’ve eaten at Yao’s Fried Liver many times. It’s quite nice.
Zhengzhou’s Oscar Movie Tickets (郑州奥斯卡电影票) said:
At Yao’s Fried Liver, I ordered a fried liver dish and finally understood why the vice president ordered black bean noodles.
Biden has sure won the hearts of the Chinese people.
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