Sichuan beef noodles and crystal dumplings in Jongno: Cheonghwa

I really love noodle dishes, so if there's a good noodle place I'll go out of my way to find it. Today I finally made it to Cheonghwa Uyuk Dosakmyeon, a place I'd had my eye on for a while~! Between the spicy, tingly Sichuan-style beef noodles and the crystal dumplings with their chewy wrapper, my mouth was having a great time haha. Let me introduce this Gwanghwamun beef noodle spot in detail :)

Location and hours of Cheonghwa Uyuk Dosakmyeon

• 📍Address: 19 Jongno, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• ⏰Hours: 10:30–22:00 (open daily), last order 21:40
• ✔️Groups welcome, takeout, parking available

Cheonghwa Uyuk Dosakmyeon sits right between Exit 1 of Jonggak Station and Exit 4 of Gwanghwamun Station. It's on the 1st floor of Le Meilleur Jongno Town, behind the Olive Young in Pimatgol alley :) You can get 2 hours of free parking in the Le Meilleur building, so keep that in mind!

What's the atmosphere like inside

Turns out Cheonghwa Uyuk Dosakmyeon isn't just known for its beef noodles — the dim sum has a great reputation too. There were dim sum photos right at the entrance, which got me pretty excited hehe.

There are two floors, 1st and 2nd. The space felt clean and spacious, good for group dining too. The staff greeted us really warmly :)

Menu and ordering — Sichuan-style beef noodles, crystal dumplings

I looked over the menu debating what to order, and since I was craving something fiery, I went with the Sichuan-style beef noodles plus crystal dumplings (sujeongdal mandu) as a side!

Ordering was easy with the tablet at the table :) Besides beef noodles, they also serve rice bowls, fried rice, mapo tofu, spicy chicken with rice cakes, and other Chinese dishes. Looked like a great spot for drinks and snacks after work too.

After ordering, they brought out jjachai (pickled radish) and peanuts — interestingly, this jjachai came with cabbage and carrots mixed in. A different charm from the jjachai at other Chinese restaurants.

How were the Sichuan-style beef noodles

It didn't take long for the steaming Sichuan-style beef noodles to arrive. The moment it hit the table, that intense Sichuan chili oil aroma hit me and really got my appetite going. Just the sight of the minced meat and chili oil on top of the red broth already looked delicious ㅠㅠ

The meat chunks were generous too, so good ㅠㅠ

The first sip of broth was heavy and rich, with that distinct Sichuan tingling mala aroma and spiciness — total stress relief ㅠㅠ It wasn't an artificial capsaicin heat, but a sharp spiciness that worked beautifully with the deep savory flavor of the beef broth and spices. One bite in and I already knew this place really knows how to do broth, hehe.

Crystal dumplings, a combo that calms the spice

The crystal dumplings (sujeongdal mandu) looked as translucent as their name suggests, and so appetizing. Carefully shaped into half-moons, the wrapper was so clear you could see the filling inside. The glossy sheen on the surface made my mouth water.

These crystal dumplings in particular paired perfectly with the Sichuan-style beef noodles.

Just as my mouth started tingling from the spicy, sharp beef noodles, taking a bite of the warm, mild crystal dumplings settled the heat right down and reset my palate ㅠㅠ Getting to enjoy shrimp and meat together in one dumpling was so satisfying haha.

Final verdict

Beef noodles with a deep, rich Sichuan-style broth and the charm of knife-cut noodle texture, plus crystal dumplings that delighted my mouth with their standout texture — nothing was missing from this perfect meal haha. I'd recommend this without hesitation to anyone who enjoys spicy, fiery Chinese noodle dishes, or who wants to experience proper knife-cut noodle texture~! The restaurant was also clean and the staff so friendly that I felt good the entire meal :) I'll definitely be back next time I'm craving a spicy broth haha.