United States President-elect Joe Biden visited Adam Road Food Centre in July 2013, when he was on his first official visit to Singapore as vice-president.

His surprise pit-stop at the famous eating place in Singapore was part of his two-day visit.

Footage of him visiting the local hawker centre has since made the rounds online, as many were not clued in about Biden's low-key visit seven years ago as Barack Obama's right-hand man.

Left good impression

Biden drank lime juice, posed for photographs and chatted with diners during that visit.

With him was his son-in-law, Howard Krein.

Joe Biden at Adam Road Food Centre in Singapore in 2013 pic.twitter.com/fyhRtvSLNY

— Mothership (@MothershipSG) November 10, 2020

According to Lianhe Wanbao, hawkers at food centre remember Biden as a friendly figure who was full of energy.

Biden was 70 years old then.

Those who met him found him without airs, and Biden also appeared unperturbed by the atmosphere and heat.

Biden, 77, and his small entourage made their way to the hawker centre unannounced.

The stall operator of Taj Mahal, which sold Biden the lime juice, told Wanbao he is now aware of Biden's status, but was not clued in as to who Biden was then.

The stall operator said he only remembers Biden being very cordial and chatty.

It was also the stall operator's father who prepared Biden's lime juice.

Biden paid S$3 for two cups of lime juice.

So low-key and sudden was the visit that the hawker said he was unaware Biden was the number two most powerful man in the U.S., and now regrets not having a photo with him then.

Biden made two rounds around the hawker centre and stopped to talk to diners before leaving, it has been reported.

Accompanied by family

Biden' wife, Jill, and daughter Ashley, who is married to Krein, were with the vice-president on his visit to Singapore.

During his visit, Biden also called on then President Tony Tan Keng Yam, and met first prime minister Lee Kuan Yew, and called on Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

Biden penned a page-long condolence message to the late Lee when he passed away in 2015, saying that few world leaders had his insight and wisdom on world affairs.

The then vice-president and his wife had orchids named after them here.

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Top photo via White House video