Lunch with a Despot

I've got a story where a meeting takes place over lunch.

The antagonist is a despot. Saddam, Idi, The Shah, Mobutu, General Sani. These are the guys.

My protagonist has a meeting with the despot in a civil setting on the despot's home territory. Probably on a terrace of the palace. I'd like to set it near a great fountain (where the despot fed a political ally to a group of crocodiles in celebration of the revolution. Nice touch, that).

So, you have lunch with a despot in a nice location with tropical palms and lovely blooming things. You're next to "the fountain" where he earned some of his more infamous notoriety.

What do you eat ?

I'm thinking classic french cuisine. I find bush meat insulting for the air of civility I want to portray. I toyed with Swedish delights.

Hmmmm. I will have to think as I cut wood and burn sumac today. Those are good projects for having ideas "pop" into the head.

I'll have ham and cheese sandwich for lunch. Not as notable an occasion as a despot encounter.