I'd echo Mosburger's comments about the cleanliness of the city, seems like another country vs the rest of China in that respect.

Great seafood all throughout the city, my favorite is at Wanbao Haixianfang, across from Labor Park near the Kempinski and Swissotel.

Dalian has an interesting history, with Russia, England, and Japan all having controlled the area at various times, and remnants of old Russia architecture can still be found there (on Russia Culture Street, of course).