Jung-gu Chinese restaurant for a Friday half-day lunch date: Huhugwan

Huhugwan

Huhugwan © Writing and photos by Jjeoini

Mon–Sat 11:00–23:00 93m from City Hall Station Exit 10 (3-minute walk) Naver Reservation available

How to get to Huhugwan: 3 minutes from City Hall Station Exit 10

Hello :) It's been a while since I posted. The weather's been so nice lately that I took a Friday afternoon off and headed to Huhugwan, a Deoksugung-area favorite.

Located about a 3-minute walk from City Hall Station, Huhugwan is up a flight of stairs to the 2nd floor. The whole way up, the walls are decorated with Hong Kong movie posters, so you really feel that Hong Kong vibe.

Inside Huhugwan: the look of the room and seating at 2:30pm

Once we stepped inside the restaurant, the Hong Kong atmosphere felt even stronger. My partner, who visited Hong Kong around this time last year, seemed to feel a wave of nostalgia and kept saying how great the vibe was.

We arrived around 2:30pm. Since it was past the usual lunch rush, there was only about one table still dining when we got there. But as we ate, customers kept steadily coming in, and by the time we finished the place was completely full — even at this odd hour. Seems like it's become known as a Chinese food spot near City Hall Station.

Ordering by QR code: Huhugwan's lunch menu vs dinner menu

You can order easily via QR code. The lunch and dinner menus are separate, and since only the lunch menu was available at the time we visited, we happily loaded up our cart with everything we wanted to try.

There's a QR code on a sign at every table for a review event, so if you have time, it might be worth joining in :)

Drinks at Huhugwan: cider and Yantai draft beer

To celebrate our Friday afternoon off, we ordered cider and Yantai draft beer. Still feeling the effects of a company dinner the night before, I went with a cool cider, while my partner, who had the Yantai draft, loved it, saying it was so refreshing haha.

While we spent time planning out the rest of our date, the whole spread arrived quickly. The savory aroma of Chinese cooking and the appetizing look of everything made it hard to decide which dish to try first.

Chinese-style boiled dumplings

The Chinese-style boiled dumplings came topped generously with cilantro and a light drizzle of chili oil.

The dumpling wrapper was moist and soft, so the very first bite felt tender all the way through. The fragrant cilantro and spicy chili oil added a nice accent to the mild dumplings, making them more addictive than I expected!

Garlic scape fried rice (original)

We ordered the garlic scape fried rice in the original flavor. The grains weren't clumped together but nicely separate and fluffy, and from the first bite you could taste that subtle wok-hei smokiness characteristic of Chinese fried rice.

The egg soup that comes with the meal set was also nice and smooth, and it paired really well with the garlic scape fried rice.

The garlic scapes throughout added a nice crunchy texture, and since their flavor wasn't too strong, they blended well into the fried rice.

Both the fried rice and the egg soup were mild rather than heavily seasoned, so they went well alongside the other dishes, and thanks to that light, savory flavor I kept reaching for another spoonful. Really delicious!!

Beef noodle soup with the spicy option (+500 won)

I debated between the original and spicy beef noodle soup, and ended up paying the extra ₩500 for the spicy version.

The deeply steeped beef broth combined with the spiciness gave a sharp, savory kick from the very first spoonful. But it wasn't all about the heat — the deep, clean flavor of the beef broth supported it steadily underneath, making me think this would be perfect for a hangover haha.

The beef shank and beef tendon in the soup were tender rather than chewy,

and eating the noodles together with the meat made for a much more filling bite.

The spicy broth kept calling for more, so it also worked well alongside bites of the garlic scape fried rice.

Yurinchi (fried chicken with soy-vinegar sauce) in squid-ink batter

When the yurinchi first arrived, the black batter was the first thing that caught our eyes.

Made with squid ink batter, it looked quite different from typical yurinchi from the start.

On the first bite, the outside was crispy while the chicken inside was moist and tender, so the contrast in texture was really clear. The sweet-and-tangy sauce on top cut through the richness of the fried batter while also whetting the appetite, making it a great side dish.

Is Huhugwan a good Deoksugung date course?

Craving proper Chinese food after a while, I visited Huhugwan, and since every dish had such a distinct character, it was fun ordering several and sharing them between us.

From the moist dumplings to the fluffy garlic scape fried rice, the spicy beef noodle soup, and the crispy yurinchi, we got to enjoy a variety of different flavors, which made it a really satisfying date menu.

Being close to City Hall Station makes it easy to reach too, whether you stop by before or after a Deoksugung date or are just looking for somewhere to eat nearby. If you're someone who wants to enjoy a variety of Chinese dishes in one place, it's worth a visit when you're looking for a good Chinese restaurant.

Next time I'm looking for a good place near City Hall Station, I'd like to come back and try the other dishes we didn't get to this time.