Babais sold all around northwest Yunnan, where it mostly consists of a piece of flat rice dough that's grilled or fried and flavored with salty and spicy seasonings. In Dali, the dough is stuffed with salted vegetables, sweet sauce, chili sauce, crushed peanuts, andyoutiao(fried, salty doughnut) and grilled to tender perfection. This "Dali calzone" is one of the most popular breakfast items, often sold on street corners like Huguo Lu and Fuxing Lu. Other typical local dishes includeshaguo yu(stewed fish casserole) and the Bai specialty,rushan(milk fan), a delicious local goat's cheese sliced in thin layers and fried until "rubbery."
The foreigners' cafes clustered along Huguo Lu and Bo'ai Lu serve inexpensive and generally tasty Western, Chinese, Bai, and Tibetan meals.Cafe de Jackat Bo'ai Lu 82 (tel.0872/267-1572) has recently been refurbished but as yet the reliability of the menu does not match the new decor. Jack is also the owner ofLa Stella Pizzeriaat Huguo Lu 58 (tel.0872/266-2881), which serves an excellent pizza focaccia and does a very generous goat's cheese and tomato salad. Also popular is theTibetan Cafeon Renmin Lu (tel.0872/266-4177), which used to be a lot cozier until they recently invested in a row of PCs to supply free Internet. Even so, this is still the best place to start the day; the unbeatable Dalai Lama's Breakfast Slam consists of Tibetan oats, fresh fruit, yogurt, and jasmine tea. New to the scene,Sweet Tooth,at the corner of Renmin Lu and Bo'ai Lu (open Mon-Sat 10am-10pm), is wildly popular with foreigners but sees very few domestic customers. Set up by an American entrepreneur to provide jobs for Dali's deaf community, Sweet Tooth's traditional chocolate chip cookies are just what a stressed traveler needs; their Ugly Brownies and huge slabs of Oreo cheesecake will make you wonder if you are still in China.
Finally, down amongst the dopers and the dreadlocks on Renmin Lu, are a number of small bars and cafes that attract independent travelers. Recommended areClandestino(at #283), a small French-run cafe, and theCaffeine Club(nearby, at #370), with its casual attitude and delicious lime crushes.