When in Rome, do as the Romans. When in South Korea, eat at Outback?

It sounds like a slice of Onion-style satire: according to the Washington Post, senior White House officials who accompanied President Bush on his recent trip to Asia passed up the chance to eat ethnic, dining instead at a South Korean Outback Steakhouse not once, but twice.

I know, I know, sometimes you just want to tuck into a nice, juicy steak. And when you’re far from home, the comfort of the familiar has a certain appeal. But still. Look at it from the public relations perspective. Aren’t we Americans perceived as ugly enough already these days? Do we have to dis the local culture?

President Bush made history on this trip by being the first U.S. president to visit Mongolia. Alas, ever reluctant to depart from conventional Crawford cuisine, he reportedly declined to sample any Mongolian BBQ. Oh well, at least he didn’t throw up on any foreign dignitaries.