Cream shrimp and crystal moon dumplings at Cheonghwawon, Daehangno

Craving Chinese food in Daehangno before a play, I visited Cheonghwawon, a Taiwanese restaurant near Hyehwa that's become a local favorite!

What kind of place is Cheonghwawon Daehangno Branch?

Cheonghwawon Daehangno Branch is a Taiwanese food spot on Daemyeong-gil near Hyehwa Station. This time I had cream shrimp, crystal moon dumplings, and beef knife-cut noodles!! There were quite a few dishes different from the usual Chinese restaurant fare, so it was fun picking and choosing haha

The cream shrimp in particular was so good it's stuck in my memory 🍤

What we ordered at Cheonghwawon in Daehangno

We ordered three dishes: cream shrimp, crystal moon dumplings, and beef knife-cut noodles!!

When I go to a Chinese restaurant I like trying a bit of everything, so that day too we each picked what we wanted!!

It was great being able to try a range of dishes — from saucy plates like the cream shrimp, to dumplings, to noodles! Unlike a plain Chinese restaurant, they had unusual items like mala tofu, fried noodles, and dim sum, which I really liked!!

The cream shrimp especially was the best cream shrimp I've had so far!!

How does Cheonghwawon's cream shrimp taste?

Cheonghwawon's cream shrimp is crispy fried shrimp topped generously with a white cream sauce!

There's also green scallion and red garnish added on top.

Even while taking photos, I noticed how generous the sauce was on there!!

I took one bite and it was truly delicious 🤤 I already tend to like cream shrimp, but this was the best cream shrimp I've ever had!! The combination of fried shrimp with cream sauce was great, and I kept reaching for more! The batter was crispy on the outside, and above all the shrimp itself was large and plump!

Of everything we ordered that day, the cream shrimp is personally the most memorable! If you love cream shrimp, I think you'll enjoy it as much as I did!!

Crystal moon dumplings: unusual from the first look

Next up, Cheonghwawon's crystal moon dumplings!

These dumplings come in a bamboo steamer, and the wrapper is semi-translucent so you can see the green filling inside

They're closer to dim sum than the dumplings I'd usually eat, which made me even more curious.

The wrapper looked chewy and was easy to pick up one at a time, and alternating between these and the cream shrimp had a charm of its own!! The shrimp and chives(?) inside went so well together, it was really tasty!!

Whenever I go for Chinese food I always order dumplings, and this day I think I chose well with Cheonghwawon's crystal moon dumplings!

Beef knife-cut noodles for the first time — how strong is the aroma?

And then, Cheonghwawon's beef knife-cut noodles!

This was my first time trying knife-cut noodles. I'm honestly a bit sensitive to strong-smelling food, so I wasn't sure what to expect, but it turned out much more delicious than I imagined!!

Even people sensitive to strong aromas could probably enjoy this without much worry haha. What I liked most of all was the texture of the noodles!

The knife-cut noodles were wonderfully chewy, with a great bite to them. It's a different texture from typical noodle dishes, which made it fun to eat. Even though it was my first time trying this dish, it left a strong impression. If you want to try something different in Daehangno, the beef knife-cut noodles are worth checking out.

Final verdict on a Chinese lunch in Daehangno

Before the play, we tried cream shrimp, crystal moon dumplings, and beef knife-cut noodles at Cheonghwawon!!

Ordering three dishes together and sharing meant we got to enjoy a range of flavors, which was great haha. Above all, the cream shrimp was truly delicious, and the knife-cut noodles, which I tried for the first time, had a chewy texture I really liked. I tend to be sensitive to strong smells and hesitate with new dishes, but I was glad I could enjoy the beef knife-cut noodles too. Next time I want to try the Sichuan-style knife-cut noodles!!

If you're deciding on lunch in Daehangno or craving Chinese food, I recommend Cheonghwawon, a go-to spot near Hyehwa and Daehangno!! Personally, the cream shrimp was the most memorable dish of the meal haha. If you're out looking for good food in Daehangno and Chinese food or dim sum comes to mind, you have to try the cream shrimp at Cheonghwawon!!