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Meals fit for leaders

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Here are some eateries where PM Lee has taken VIPs visiting S'pore

Visiting foreign dignitaries often get unique hybrid orchids named after them. They also get treated to some delicious local dishes.

The food can range from Michelin-star creations to humble hawker favourites.

Here are six places that Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has taken foreign visitors to on their visits here.

THE COCONUT CLUB WITH PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT 
RODRIGO DUTERTE

During the Philippine President's state visit last week, Mr Lee took him to lunch at The Coconut Club in Ann Siang Hill.

The eatery specialises in just one dish: fragrant nasi lemak made with fresh hand-squeezed coconut milk, with all the trimmings from sambal to fried chicken.

For the occasion, the VIPs were also served kerabu and chendol.

The meal concluded with the king of fruits, durian - Mao Shan Wang and D13.

NATIONAL KITCHEN BY VIOLET OON WITH THAI PRINCESS 
MAHA CHAKRI SIRINDHORN

The Thai princess was in town for the opening ceremony of the Global Young Scientists Summit in January.

Mr Lee did a short tour of the National Gallery Singapore, which showcases Singaporean and South-east Asian art, with Princess Sirindhorn.

They then had lunch at the restaurant there, National Kitchen by Violet Oon, feasting on ngoh hiang, kueh pie tee, satay and chicken rice, which Mr Lee said was the princess' favourite Singaporean dish.

KOMALA VILAS WITH 
INDIAN PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODI

In November last year, Mr Modi was here for a two-day visit to mark 50 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

After Mr Modi delivered the 37th Singapore Lecture, Mr Lee took him to Komala Vilas in Little India for supper.

The meal, which lasted 45 minutes, was a vegetarian spread of idli (a steamed cake made with fermented black lentils and rice batter), vadai (savoury fritters) and the restaurant's famous thosai (a thin crepe made from a batter of rice and lentils).

CORNER HOUSE WITH 
CHINESE PRESIDENT XI JINPING

The Chinese leader was here on a two-day visit in November last year, which included a historic meeting with Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou - the first top-level contact between the two sides since they split 67 years ago.

Mr Lee and his wife Ho Ching took Mr Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan to lunch at the Corner House restaurant in the Botanic Gardens, Singapore's first Unesco World Heritage Site.

The restaurant, helmed by local chef Jason Tan, was awarded one Michelin star when the food guide was launched here in July.

SELERA RASA NASI LEMAK 
WITH INDONESIAN PRESIDENT JOKO WIDODO

The Indonesian President, better known as Jokowi, was here in November 2014, to attend his youngest son's graduation from ACS (International).

Mr Lee took him to a modest breakfast of nasi lemak and roti prata. The nasi lemak was from Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak in Adam Road, also fancied by the Sultan of Brunei who takes away dozens of packets whenever he is here.

MY BRIYANI HOUSE WITH MALAYSIAN PRIME MINISTER NAJIB RAZAK

The Malaysia leader visited Singapore to jointly open the Agrobazaar Malaysia outlet at Sultan Gate with Mr Lee in August 2014.

The 5,100 sq ft outlet features and promotes fresh fruit and other produce from Malaysia.

That evening, Mr Lee and his wife took Mr Najib and his wife to dinner at My Briyani House at Kallang Wave Mall.

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