Taxi driver recommended street restaurant Mandalay Beer Station and when we arrived, we liked the looks of it – full of customers eating, talking, laughing and drinking. (As is custom here, women tend to stay home with the children so only one woman was present at the restaurant with her husband and two small children).

We ordered by walking around and pointing to good-looking food others were eating. Jim and I sat opposite each other at a huge table for six drinking Mandalay draft beer and eating peanuts as we waited for our food. A large bowl of steamed rice, greens with mushrooms in a brown sauce and another dish of greens coated in a sweet, peanut flavoring arrived via the owner’s son, who looked to be nearly 12 years old. Later Jim ordered and devoured a few chicken livers. The food was fantastic, cooked to perfection and plentiful. We enjoyed several draft beers and the generous portions of food for under $2! The pretty Mother of our young server told me she’d never had people like us come to her restaurant. Well, they should for a great evening of smiles, conversation, warm hospitality, ice cold beer and seriously tasty food for next to nothing.