Guess who came to dinner

He's had key members of Congress over for cocktails. He invited them to watch the Super Bowl. He went to their turf on Capitol Hill to show he's serious about consultation.

In his latest outreach to the legislative branch, President Obama had the leaders of congressional committee and their spouses over for dinner Wednesday night.

The menu: celery soup, mushroom crisps, steelhead salmon, saffron couscous, crispy spinach and greens, and milk chocolate velvet cake.

And a big serving of humble pie from the president.

"We just want to say welcome on behalf of Michelle and myself. We're so glad all of you could join us," Obama told his guests.

"Obviously the country is going through an extraordinarily difficult time, and we are going to have some monumental debates taking place over the next several months and years," he added. "We also know that we're not always going to agree on everything. But given how hard so many of you are working on both sides of the aisle, day in, day out, we thought it was important for us to be able to step back for a moment, remind ourselves that we have things in common -- family, friends, laughter -- and hopefully, we'll have a chance to appreciate each other a little bit, take a time-out before we dive back into the game."

Congress has given Obama his $787 billion economic stimulus plan, but his emissaries are getting grilled on the banking system rescue and home foreclosure aid, and his first budget is drawing fire from both sides of the aisle.

"So we hope you have a wonderful evening -- not to mention the fact that this is a pretty big house, so we get lonely. So -- and it's hard for me to move around out there sometimes so I've got to bring the world to me," he said in closing his remarks. "But, anyway, I'm grateful for all of you coming. Michelle is thrilled that you're here. And we hope you just have a wonderful evening. Thank you."