As they waited for the arrival of U.S. President Joe Biden and other world leaders in the high-security NATO summit venue on the outskirts of Madrid on Tuesday, international officials and journalists were bemused to find "Russian Salad" on the top of the in-house restaurant menu.
The melange of peas, potatoes, carrots and mayonnaise is a staple on Spanish restaurant menus but ahead of a summit at which Russia is expected to be labelled as a security threat in the alliance's new strategic concept, its presence on the menu caused consternation.
The dish's attractively high carb content appeared to trump its questionable name however, and it reportedly sold out within hours.
