Bill Clinton Ate at a River North Steakhouse but Didn’t Have Steak

It’s been a long time since ex-President Bill Clinton’s Big Mac days. The former POTUS and Arkansas governor has eliminated red meat from his regimen in favor of a diet with vegan and pescatarian options. With that in mind, Clinton and was among a group of 20 who ate dinner on Friday night at RPM Steak in River North.

Clinton and daughter Chelsea — more on her in a bit — were in Chicago over the weekend for the Clinton Foundation’s 11th annual Clinton Global Initiative University meeting. Speakers addressed topics including gun violence and freedom of expression.

On Friday, Bill Clinton — and Chicago Fire actor Taylor Kinney — headed to RPM Steak. A rep said the Clinton’s order included fall vegetable sh’arieh, roasted ora king salmon, wood-grilled cauliflower, and roasted honey nut squash. Clinton mostly keeps vegan and pescatarian, but the steakhouse still has enough options them. Since 2013, Bill Clinton, in Hillary Clinton’s words, has been an “open-minded vegan.” The rep for RPM’s parent company Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises said Bill Clinton posed for many a photo at the restaurant. He even posed with customers celebrating a bachelorette party. The rest of the group’s order included thick-cut bacon, roast chicken, and cowboy steaks, according to a rep.

Chelsea Clinton made her own appearance on Sunday at LEYE’s sibling restaurant, RPM Italian — also in River North. She showed up with a group of six women but didn’t draw attention like her father and dined incognito in peace. Her group ate Mama DePandi’s bucatini pomodoro, short rib bolognese with pappardelle, butternut squash agnolotti, and eggplant parmesan.

• Bill Clinton and Food: Jack Sprat He’s Not [NY Times]
• Chelsea Clinton leads students in South Side day of action on global forum’s last day [Tribune]
• Watch: Stephen Colbert tries to get Hillary Clinton to admit Bill is a smug vegan [Vox]