Dim sum restaurant lunch for two in Sinchon, Seoul: Cheonghwaweon

Hey everyone, do you like xiaolongbao? What about shumai? Okay then, between the two? I can't pick just one. I have this disease where I have to eat both...

Why? Because if I order one, the other one keeps flickering in my mind.

So today my friend and I went to Cheonghwaweon (청화원)!! A must-visit Chinese restaurant in Sinchon!!!

📍 Cheonghwaweon / Address: 서울 서대문구 명물길 10 1층 청화원 / ⏰ Hours: Daily 11:00–22:20

What Cheonghwaweon in Sinchon looks like, and is there a wait?

We went for a late lunch around 1pm on a weekday, and luckily we could sit right down with no wait. Still, there were quite a lot of people. Sinchon, as expected. And it's spacious!!

But right after we sat down, the place filled up completely;; if we'd been even a little later we might have had to wait.

Overall the place is spacious, super clean, and comfortable. The tables are big with plenty of space between them, so it was easy to sit and chat with my friend while eating, and it also looked like a good spot for families. There were also a lot of foreign customers!?? I guess it's the location... (maybe because it's Sinchon)

Once you order, the dim sum gets steamed right beside you. Look at that steam. Smells amazing.

Cheonghwaweon's menu and prices: what two of us ordered

The menu has everything from beef noodle soup to fried rice, cream shrimp, and yurinchi. But we were craving dim sum, so how could we not order three kinds? Gotta eat 'em.

What's the difference between xiaolongbao and xiaolongpao? I was curious so I looked it up, and apparently it's this.

Wait, they're the same thing.

• Sujeongdal mandu (crystal dumplings) ₩9,500
• Xiaolongbao ₩9,500
• Shumai ₩9,500
• Tiger rice bowl ₩9,800

We were deciding between -Tiger fried rice (pork), spicy -Gung bao chicken rice bowl (chicken), and went with the tiger rice bowl, ₩9,800.

The basic banchan were cabbage jjajai (pickled cabbage) and peanuts.

How the three dim sum and the tiger rice bowl tasted

The tiger rice bowl came out first. I guess since the dim sum gets steamed to order, it takes a bit longer.

Tiger rice bowl (9,800 won)

The name "tiger rice bowl" is unfamiliar, but it's shredded pork stir-fried with egg in a slightly spicy sauce. The kind of seasoning anyone would enjoy.

Eating dim sum alone can get a bit heavy, but eating this along with it washes it right down. Refreshes you and lets you start over haha

Xiaolongbao (9,500 won)

Honestly there's nothing else to say except don't spill the broth while eating it. It's delicious.

Sujeongdal mandu, or crystal dumplings (9,500 won)

Hmm~~~ the wrapper is super chewy. The wrapper alone is my style haha. I guess I don't like chives. I like the meat haha

But that doesn't mean I don't eat them.

Shumai (9,500 won)

Look how pretty;;;; the filling is completely packed and springy. If you like shrimp, well~~ it's just delicious.

Is three dim sum plus a rice bowl enough for two people?

At first I honestly worried a little that three dim sum plus fried rice would be way too much for two people, haha, but why did I worry? Turns out it was just right for two. I'd been craving dim sum for days, and I walked out having eaten so well... very, very satisfied,,,

And in the end, I think xiaolongbao comes out on top,,, every time I think "ah, xiaolongbao? hmm, but I want something else too" and end up ordering something else, but after eating everything I always go "xiaolongbao was the best after all" lol. So I'm glad we ordered all three. But if I go alone!!!! it's xiaolongbao for me. Seriously, seriously so good. After eating this I felt like I got quick-charged,,,,, having it steamed fresh to order was the best part!!!

And the prices are nice too. Recommend Sinchon dim sum, Cheonghwaweon.