Soon after we arrived in Dali and met up with other foreign travelers spending the Chinese New Year season in town, the Sunshine Cafe established itself as the primary hang-out spot: we were there first thing in the morning for breakfast, often popped in for a lunch, a dinner, a snack or a cup of coffee, and more than once stayed here drinking beers and playing cards until the wee hours of the morning. Nearly any time you felt like it, you could pop into the Sunshine Cafe and see someone you know.
And for good reason: The atmosphere is comforting and the food varies from very good to fantastic.
The Sunshine Cafe's manager is American, and that may have a lot to do with the restaurant's appeal. This place knows what western food is supposed to taste like, knows how to make meals, knows what furnishings westerners like, what music is appropriate and what service westerners expect (not to mention what condiments are expected with which foods, that salads and appetizers are expected before meals and not after, that beverages are expected with meals and not after, etc. etc.) Also, it must be said that Chris, the American manager, knows how things work around Dali more than any other person you will find around here who speaks good English so he's a good person to hit up for advice. Still, despite the fact that this is an American-run restaurant dishing out comforts of home (the Europeans, Ozzies, and Israelis found it just as comforting as the Americans), you never forget that you are in a bohemian backpacker haven in a very exotic middle-of-nowhere.
The Sunshine Cafe boasts "the best brownies in town" and while this is most certainly true, I hardly think that calling these brownies the best in this small Chinese village does them justice. They very well may be the best brownies in China (which, granted, may not be saying much either). This is the best dessert I have had in a LONG time. The brownies are rich, moist and crumbly with a layer of oatmeal baked within them and smothered with chocolate sauce. For an extra two yuan (25 cents) you can have it topped with a scoop of Ice Cream. Delicious!
While the brownies were the highlight of my dining experiences here, the food was uniformly excellent and included standard western fare such as sandwiches, salads, and pasta as well as Chinese dishes. Of particular interest was the wide selection of western breakfast foods, which included eggs, toast, ham, hash browns (distinctive and very tasty), French toast, yogurt, museli, fruit pancakes, and more.
To add to the comfort of the place, there's this great couch under a skylight at the back of the place that's the perfect place to unwind (see picture)--especially if you aren't having a meal but rather just hanging out and drinking beer or coffee. It's also ideal for sprawling out on during non-peak hours and reading a book.