Shark (Fin Soup) Attack!

President gets criticized for a dish he *didn't* order during visit to Chinatown landmark...
The White House liked the optics of President Obama's surprise Thursday visit to San Francisco landmark Great Eastern Restaurant so much that an image of Mr. Obama posing for a photo with thrilled diners became today's Photo of the Day on the blog (above). Not everyone was so jazzed by the President's dumpling drop by: Though Mr. Obama didn't go near a bowl of shark fin soup, he's being criticized in the press for patronizing a restaurant that sells the traditional but now illegal delicacy.

"Obama at restaurant that still serves sharkfin" was the headline in the hometown digital outlet, the SFGate. "Obama Shark Fin Soup: President Eats At Restaurant That Still Serves Taboo Meat," was the headline on Huffington Post.

"President Obama, who signed the Shark Conservation Act into law last month, apparently didn't check out the menu before he made a surprise visit Thursday to a Chinatown restaurant that is among a handful still serving shark fin soup, a delicacy that has been outlawed in California," chastised SFGate.

Or, er, the President's advance team didn't check out the menu. Great Eastern still sells braised shark fin soup for $48 a bowl, thanks to a loophole in the California law. The President "was not aware" that shark fin soup was still on the menu, Press Secretary Jay Carney, who accompanied Mr. Obama for the take-out meet n' greet, told reporters on Friday.

"The President enjoyed his visit to Chinatown, and, as you know, ordered a lot of dim sum takeout. No soup," Carney said.

The President left the restaurant with two laden bags, server Wing Oin told Obama Foodorama. These contained enough to feed a party of 14: Three orders of Shrimp Dumplings, three orders of Pork Dumplings, three orders of Shanghai Dumplings, and three orders of Sesame Bao. Each order contained either three or four dumplings/bao. The President asked Oin to make the selections for him, Oin said.

The White House this week was running another "what does $40 mean to you?" campaign as the President pressured Congress to extend the payroll tax cut. Apparently $48 means some bad press.

*Photo by Pete Souza/White House