A “wall of people” gathered around the Liverpool House seafood restaurant in Montreal’s hip Little Burgundy neighbourhood Tuesday night, with onlookers hoping for a glimpse of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau or his dining partner, former U.S. president Barack Obama.

For restaurant owner David McMillan — a.k.a. “Joe Beef,” — it was “business as usual.”

“We’ve served many important people,” he said. “The PM has been eating at the restaurant since before he was PM.”

Trudeau had a reservation, McMillan said, but there was no advance warning about the plus-one he’d be bringing along. The staff “put two and two together” when they saw the heightened security and realized the ex-president was in town.

McMillan, a celebrated Montreal-based chef, may be best known for declaring in Foodism magazine that Toronto’s food scene had superseded his home city’s.

Having such high-powered guests was a “huge honour,” he said, especially because his daughter Dylan got to take a photo with the PM and the president.

“As a father that was a pretty big deal, for her to get a picture with those dudes,” he said.

“It’s pretty cool. I haven’t really processed it yet,” he continued. “We’re busy and we have to get back to work.”

The two politicians feasted on oysters, asparagus, halibut with morel mushrooms and lobster spaghetti, while surrounded by other diners who happened to have reservations.

“They ate everything. I was surprised,” McMillian said. “They’re fit guys. They can eat!”

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In a tweet Wednesday, The Obama Foundation stated that the two leaders were discussing “their shared commitment to developing the next generation of leaders.”

The image of the two leaders, with their sleeves rolled up, engaged in a relaxed discussion, made people swoon on social media.

“This is like looking at a pic of 2 of my exes and wondering why I had to end up with the jerk,” stated another tweet, in reference to U.S. President Donald Trump.

A sell-out crowd of about 6,000 people gathered in Montreal in June 2017 to hear former U.S. president Barack Obama speak at the city's convention centre. One audience member says she could listen to Obama speak ?forever.? (The Canadian Press)

Obama and Trudeau’s meeting in Montreal followed Obama’s first post-presidency address on Canadian soil.

His 70-minute keynote speech to the Montreal Board of Trade covered various topics, including climate change, after Trump pulled out of the Paris climate accord last week.

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