After a speech before 6,000 people in Montreal Tuesday night, former U.S. president Barack Obama sat down for dinner and a tête-à-tête with an old friend – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Obama joined Trudeau for dinner at Liverpool House in Montreal's Little Burgundy neighbourhood.

Trudeau tweeted a picture of the pair talking in the Notre-Dame St. eatery owned by chef David MacMillan, where they reportedly dined on a 100 per cent Quebecois feast, including rib steak, lobster spaghetti, Kamouraska halibut with morels, oysters, crab and asparagus.

"How do we get young leaders to take action in their communities? Thanks Barack Obama for your visit & insights tonight in my hometown," the prime minister tweeted.
 


The Obama Foundation also tweeted about the dinner, saying the men were discussing their "shared commitment to developing the next generation of leaders."
 


Trudeau and Obama’s last friendly encounter was in March 2016, when then-president Obama invited Trudeau to the White House for a state visit.

The pair was accompanied at the Montreal dinner by about 100 U.S. secret service and RCMP officers.

In an interview with La Presse, MacMillan said he found out at 4 p.m. Tuesday that he would be serving the distinguished guests, adding that Trudeau is a regular.

MacMillan told the newspaper he had an idea they would be visiting his establishment, because on Friday, U.S. secret service officers visited the restaurant to assess security.

The chef knew the drill, because, he said, that’s protocol for when the PM eats at his restaurant – though not to this degree of security scrutiny.

 

MacMillan said there was no official taster, but that officials watched the chefs prepare the meal for security reasons.

Despite the intense security, MacMillan referred to the dinner as relaxed and said that Obama joked with the staff.

He said a section of the restaurant was closed off for the dignitaries, but that regular diners were also able to eat there.   

MacMillan didn’t reveal the total bill, but told La Presse the pair offered a generous tip of 20 per cent.

Obama left the restaurant at about 10:30 p.m. as about 500 people stood outside hoping for a glimpse of the president-turned-celebrity.

 

Liverpool House is a well-known establishment among celebrities visiting the city, and a stop for Hollywood’s A-List and world leaders alike.