Dalian, China

Until 20 years ago, Dalian's restaurants were bereft of culinary variety. Seafood dominated every menu as if mandated by a local food czar heavily invested in fishing net stocks. Tourism has since done wonderful things for Dalian's restaurant selections. Today diners can choose from a sweeping scope of international tastes ranging from Italian to Russian. This new-found food diversity is matched by new-found price diversity, wandering from five-star splendor to street food nirvana. The most diverse eating options are located in Zhongshan.

China's northeast (dongbei) cuisine is distinctive for its hearty portions and liberal use of oil. The northern climes encourage more wheat cultivation than rice, so dishes revolve around hand pulled noodles (lamian), wheat pancakes (you bing), dumplings (jiaozi) and steamed or roasted buns (baozi). The food tends to be less flavorful and diverse than southern Sichuanese or Cantonese. Traditional Dalian dishes make the most of the town's proximity to the sea, using the ocean's harvest in place of the interior northeast's use of lamb and beef. Be aware that Chinese "seafood" can include not only fish and shrimp but also sea cucumber (hai can), abalone (baoyu) and healthy doses of seaweed (hai cai), textures that may be politely called an acquired taste. While many Chinese dishes revere rare ingredients such as sharks fin (yu chi), diners may want to take into consideration overfishing and pollution issues before indulging in such delicacies. All restaurants that offer sharks fin will also offer more sustainable entrees, but patrons may have to be insistent on finding them.

Dalian also boasts a more diverse drinking selection than most Chinese cities its size. In competition with Qingdao, Dalian has an oddly wide variety of brew houses, such as Greenery and Hans Pub , that are worth sampling. Some even get beyond the watery light reputation of Chinese beer. There are also a few coffee roasters eager to offer patrons a cup and a pleasant place to sit. Tor.ZZ is one such example, where the only item missing from its old Shanghai flavor is a phonograph. Tea houses range from the traditional to the unique, including the earthy and entertaining Yi Le Pottery Bar where patrons can sip tea or try their hand at the pottery wheel to make their own tea bowl.

Zhongshan

The highest form of dining Dalian-style is found at Shuang Sheng Yuan . The Mingzhu Revolving Restaurant also enjoys local legend status thanks to its award winning chef. The restaurant slowly rotates, affording diners stunning panoramic views of downtown and the harbor. Pencil in Tian Tian Yu Gang as a dinner possibility, all ten locations that pepper the area serve fresh fish at extremely reasonable prices to the accompaniment of beer that is brewed on location.

Dongbei and Dalian cuisines are not the only Chinese fare worth sampling in town. If the belly beckons for traditional Chinese fare, reserve a table at the Dalian Harbor View Restaurant . Sauteed prawns, sweet and sour chicken and a bounty of other regional dishes are on offer. Every table enjoys lighthouse-type views of the city and the surrounding waterfront, including Tiger Beach. Both breakfast and dinner are highlighted by reasonably priced buffets. Taipei Liu's Dumplings hovers as the area's dumpling king. Beef, mutton, pork, oyster and vegetarian are a few samplings of its dumpling lineup. Zhuang Jia Yuan Restaurant answers the call for organic, low-calorie dishes. To ensure quality, it harvests grains and vegetables from its very own farm. Similarly, Zhongshan Fu Farmer's Restaurant not only presents fresh, organic dishes, but its country decor provides a welcomed respite from the Zhongshan District's city whirl. Many of its offerings, including the bean curd, are homemade. Spicy and addictive, Sichuan hotpot can be found in the antique-decorated Chengdu Lao Tan Zi . F2 Bar in the Shangri-La is an all-in-one night spot, with a high quality kitchen, disco and club atmosphere.

Foreign fare options are numerous. Plenty of Korean and Japanese restaurants take advantage of Dalian's cosmopolitan interest in authentic international cuisine by importing chefs. The Sorabel Korean Restaurant crowns Dalian's Korean choices. If what you really crave is a bit of comfort food, Pizza King at Friendship Square is greasy and cheesy and overall quite satisfying.

Xigang

Best eating bet in this neighborhood is to walk through the streets around meal times and choose the restaurant with the most enthusiastic patrons. There are many small family owned restaurants in the area. While the menu may not be in English, pointing out dishes on other tables is an acceptable way to order if your Mandarin is limited. Russian Street is full of western choices, including some authentic Russian restaurants. One of the bigger dining draws in Xigang is the Lu Yuan , which not only has a top notch kitchen but also a night club.

Shanhekou

While a bit removed from the diverse selections of Zhongshan, worthy of notice here is the Pujiang Cantonese restaurant, especially known for their dimsum, and the Tan Yu Tuo Sichuanese hotpot restaurant.

Development Zone

Many places cater to Japanese business travelers, but if you do not enjoy karaoke and overpriced drinks (or beautiful women with suspicious intentions regarding your wallet), dining and drinking options are expanding. Han Zhong is a home-style Korean restaurant with lovely details down to the roasted corn tea and home made kimchi. Yue or Cantonese cuisine does not disappoint at upscale Yu Zhu Lou . Hao Wang Jiao serves up typical Western dishes and makes a very good sirloin steak. Albatross has a selection of both Western and Japanese cuisine. The baby grand piano in the dining room adds an air of elegance.