I am not the type to go visit touristy places. So I was mostly on guard and experienced typical tourist recommendations. weI found this hidden gem, completely by accident while walking to a hotel recommended restaurant and decided to take a short cut. The owner and chef was standing by the door chatting with a local, but the sight of this garden setting cafe intrigued Shirley and me so much that we abandon the recommendation of the hotel and eat there instead.
They were 30 minutes from closing for the day, but they stayed open for us well past the closing time, chatted with us about what is good for lunch and even gave us a complimentary coffee drink. It was a most enjoyable experience. Made the difference between a typical tourist experience and a genuine local cultural exchange experience!!
It's the most important memory we had from the trip. read more