Obama tries burger diplomacy with Medvedev

Presidents Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev dodged the formality of a US-Russia summit Thursday, slipping out of the White House to visit one of the US leader's favorite burger joints.

Obama and Medvedev traveled in the same presidential limousine from the White House to the Washington suburb of Arlington, Virginia, and stopped at "Ray's Hell-Burger."

The informal jaunt, symbolizing warming US-Russia relations, was squeezed in between Oval Office and a joint press conference back at the White House.

Obama and Medvedev chatted to staff and ordered at the counter of the restaurant, which has won rave reviews for the quality of its 10-ounce steakhouse-style burgers.

They than sat together at one of the restaurant's simple tables, eating their burgers.

Obama lunched at the same restaurant last year with Vice President Joe Biden.