Daehangno dim sum spot, crystal dumplings & chili shrimp: Cheonghwawon

Today I'm recommending a Daehangno restaurant!! It's Cheonghwawon Daehangno Branch (청화원 대학로점), a Chinese restaurant that works for a Hyehwa Station date, a group get-together or even eating solo.

What is Cheonghwawon Daehangno Branch?

Cheonghwawon Daehangno Branch is a Chinese restaurant in a two-floor building on the main Daehangno street, big enough for dates, groups and solo diners alike. It's easy to get to, so it's a really good meeting spot!

This is my go-to Chinese restaurant near Hyehwa Station whenever a Chinese craving hits. This time I suddenly wanted dim sum on a weekend lunch, so I headed over~ I seriously recommend it for dim sum lovers!!

• Cheonghwawon Daehangno Branch: 36 Daemyeong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul (1st and 2nd floors)
• Hours: daily 11:00–22:20
• Takeout and group seating available

Weekend lunch seating at Cheonghwawon Daehangno: full downstairs, seats upstairs

The first floor was full at weekend lunch, so we were guided upstairs. The second floor was also really spacious and comfortable :) There are all kinds of tables, so you just sit at the one that fits your party size.

The window seats are so pretty too, and looked great for a Daehangno date♥ And of course it's perfect for eating alone!

Cheonghwawon Daehangno Branch menu and tablet ordering

Every table has a tablet, so ordering is easy. I filmed the menu to check it, and there's a wide range of Chinese food, including beef knife-cut noodles (udosakmyeon) and dim sum. Good stuff!

I ordered chili shrimp, crystal shrimp dumplings, shumai and a cola!

These are the basic side dishes served after ordering.

While I sipped my cola and waited, all the dishes came out at once >_<!

The table filled up with delicious food!

Chili shrimp (19,800 won)

The chili shrimp at Cheonghwawon Daehangno Branch is ₩19,800, and the shrimp are really plump and big! The moment I saw it I couldn't help saying wow.

The shrimp are battered to order and fried right away in a sweet-and-sour chili sauce, so the coating was crispy and the sauce was spicy and really tasty! It isn't one of those sauces that's overly sweet or just hot. It's tangy and spicy, so you never get tired of it and keep reaching for more. It made me crave a beer, haha, sob.

Crystal dumplings, sujeong dalmandu (9,500 won)

The crystal shrimp dumplings at Cheonghwawon Daehangno Branch are ₩9,500, a dim sum filled with plump shrimp and garlic chives. Crystal shrimp dumplings are one of my favorite dim sum!!

The thin, chewy wrapper is the charm! You can feel its stickiness the moment you pick it up with chopsticks, and in your mouth the contrast between the chewy wrapper and the shrimp packed inside is outstanding, sob.

The shrimp pops with every bite, which was fun and delicious, sob!! Cheonghwawon Daehangno Branch makes really good dim sum at a good price too, so it's a Hyehwa Station spot I recommend to dim sum lovers!

Shumai (9,500 won)

The shumai at Cheonghwawon Daehangno Branch is ₩9,500, a dim sum of minced shrimp in dough, shaped like a flower and steamed.

The shumai looks too good to be bad! The natural savory flavor of the ingredients really came through, and the filling was well balanced, a clean taste anyone would like.

Dipped in a little soy sauce, it's really good...!! You can taste the shrimp and the texture holds up. Good stuff!

Is Cheonghwawon Daehangno Branch good for dim sum, not just beef noodles?

Cheonghwawon Daehangno Branch is best known for its beef noodles, but the quality of the dim sum and the main dishes is really good too. I've been so many times because it's that tasty, and I always end up ordering a bit of everything!

I've tried different menu items each time and it's always a success, so I recommend Cheonghwawon Daehangno Branch, a Daehangno Chinese restaurant, to anyone looking for a place near Hyehwa Station for a date, a group meal or eating solo.