Daehangno Chinese restaurant, solo window-seat shumai: Cheonghwawon

What is Cheonghwawon Daehangno Branch like?

Cheonghwawon Daehangno Branch (청화원 대학로점) is a Chinese restaurant in Hyehwa where you can try Taiwanese beef knife-cut noodles and Hong Kong-style dim sum. The noodles are house-made knife-cut noodles in a broth of Korean beef bone and tender beef shank, and the dim sum is said to be made by hand by a chef from Guangdong. It's open daily 11:00–22:20, with last order at 21:50.

I've tried almost every restaurant around Hyehwa and Daehangno, and "Cheonghwawon Daehangno Branch" is one of the places I think about now and then and want to go back to. It's a Chinese restaurant with Taiwanese beef knife-cut noodles, good value, and above all the dim sum here is sooo good,, everything I've tried has been a hit, so I keep coming back!

Location and how to get there

Cheonghwawon Daehangno Branch is a 2-minute walk from Hyehwa Station Exit 4. It's also close to bus stops, so it's easy to find. The sign is in Chinese characters like this, and the restaurant uses the building from the 1st floor to the 2nd.

Cheonghwawon menu and prices

The menu at Cheonghwawon Daehangno Branch is wide: noodles and rice dishes for a quick meal, plus dim sum, cold dishes, fried dishes and stir-fries. So it's good for a drink in the evening too. Here are a few of the main items.

• Beef knife-cut noodles (우육도삭면) ₩10,500
• Shumai (쇼마이, pork and shrimp dumplings) ₩9,500
• Guobaorou (꿔바로우, crispy sweet-and-sour pork) ₩17,000
• Laziji (라즈지, spicy fried chicken with chilies) ₩17,000
• Xiaolongbao (쇼롱포오, soup dumplings) ₩9,500
• Crystal dumplings (수정달만두) ₩9,500
• Yuxiang eggplant rice bowl (어향가지덮밥) ₩9,800
• Mapo tofu (마라두부) ₩10,500

And more,, with Chinese food, the best way is to come with a group, order lots of dishes and share. I did that once and it was great. Sadly, this day I went solo.

1st floor full even at 3 PM, so I went up to the 2nd floor for the first time

Cheonghwawon Daehangno Branch has no break time, so even at an awkward 3 PM or so, the 1st floor was full haha (omg). The customers are of all ages too, so it's a Daehangno spot anyone can enjoy without any hits or misses.

So I went up to the 2nd floor of Cheonghwawon for the first time.

What are the 2nd-floor seats like?

The 2nd floor is much roomier than the 1st!! It has tables for 2 to 4 people, sofa seats, and group seating too.

I sat at a window seat on this 2nd floor. I could eat while looking down at the Hyehwa street.

Solo order: beef knife-cut noodles and shumai

My solo order this day was Cheonghwawon's beef knife-cut noodles and shumai dim sum. Once I sat down, they set out the side dishes first.

I'd had the beef knife-cut noodles before and knew they were good, so I debated between getting them again or yubal dumyeon (유발도면), a mixed noodle dish with knife-cut noodles topped with beef, but I was craving broth, so I went with the signature dish,,

How does the beef knife-cut noodle soup taste?

Cheonghwawon's signature Taiwanese beef knife-cut noodles (₩10,500) are light yet deeply flavored, and not harshly seasoned. They say it's made with house-made knife-cut noodles in a broth simmered for over 24 hours with Korean beef bones and tender beef shank, and it seems like a dish almost anyone can enjoy.

The noodles are thick knife-cut noodles like this, chewy and delicious, and the portion is generous.

What kinds of dim sum does Cheonghwawon have?

There are three kinds of dim sum at Cheonghwawon Daehangno Branch: xiaolongbao, the signature handmade dim sum of Sinbokmyeongwan (신복면관) packed with juice; crystal dumplings, plump shrimp with chives; and the one I ordered, shumai, a combo of shrimp, pork and popping flying fish roe. I'm not usually a big fan of dumplings or dim sum, but at Cheonghwawon the dim sum is a must-order.

The shumai is a nice size to eat, and even if you come alone you can finish one dim sum as a side. The shumai is really good.. a combo of shrimp, pork and fish roe can't possibly be bad. The dim sum is made by hand by a chef from Guangdong, so you get the authentic taste of delicate Hong Kong-style dim sum, with a thin, chewy wrapper and juice. The moment you bite in, the juice bursts in your mouth, and the shrimp is plump with a great chew and flavor..

Would I go back to Cheonghwawon Daehangno Branch?

If you're curious about Taiwanese food that captures the local feel and taste, visit Cheonghwawon Daehangno Branch! You can enjoy beef knife-cut noodles and delicately flavored dim sum for a filling, tasty meal, and there are plenty of dishes that go great with drinks, so next time I want to come back in the evening with friends haha