Mapo tofu rice bowl and shrimp shumai in Gwanghwamun: Cheonghwa

This is Sseoming, hard at diet-mode a month before my wedding.... These days I'm in the kind of state where I could chew rocks and they'd taste good, though? So I want to write about a Gwanghwamun restaurant that was really, truly delicious! <Cheonghwa Uyuk Dosakmyeon> — how was it? Real review, let's go (^///^)

Where is Cheonghwa Uyuk Dosakmyeon

Cheonghwa Uyuk Dosakmyeon is 5 minutes from Gwanghwamun Station and 5 minutes from Euljiro 1(il)-ga Station! It's on a street in Gwanghwamun that I personally really love >.<

Exterior and interior atmosphere

Just find the sign that says 'Piyatgol Street' and it's right there! There's even a standing sign out front with the whole menu on it, so it's super easy to find, hahaha

The interior was so clean too! There seemed to be seating not just on the 1st floor but the 2nd floor as well! And a system where you can order/pay by tablet!

What we ordered

There were so many menu items I couldn't decide what to eat! After much deliberation,

• Sichuan-style beef knife-cut noodles (₩11,000)
• Mapo tofu rice bowl (₩10,800)
• Shumai (₩9,800)

is what we ordered!

Side dishes

As soon as we ordered, the side dishes came right out. The zha cai (pickled mustard root) we're all so familiar with, soy sauce for dipping dim sum, and even peanuts! The zha cai apparently tasted more like the Korean version than the authentic one.

How the Sichuan-style beef knife-cut noodles tasted

The dishes came out almost immediately! The Sichuan-style beef knife-cut noodles were exactly what we wanted for a spicy broth.

I really like the dosakmyeon (hand-torn knife-cut noodles) sold at a Lanzhou hand-pulled noodle place nearby haha. This one had the chewy, taut texture that's close to that place's signature dosakmyeon!

Can you see how springy these noodles are? Haha. I was really full after finishing it. The broth was proper mala broth! If you like mala tang, there's no way you wouldn't like this~ I scraped the broth clean too.

Today's number one: mapo tofu rice bowl

Here it is! Today's number one!!!!

I don't usually like mapo tofu much, but the flavor here was on a whole different level.

Salty yet spicy in a way that goes perfectly with freshly cooked rice! It was such a shame watching it disappear bite by bite ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ After eating this, I wanted to try making it at home myself. Of course... it probably won't taste like this if I make it, hahahaha

Can you see how springy the tofu is, with the sauce clinging to it... If you come here, I highly recommend you definitely get the mapo tofu rice bowl haha.

The hidden powerhouse: shumai

I was torn between xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) and shumai, but ordered shumai since shrimp dumplings seemed like the safer bet haha.

Safer bet, my foot? The moment I took a bite of the shumai, I started wondering about the xiaolongbao.... because along with the shrimp, there was ground pork inside too. No off flavor at all, just full of savory juices...... I think it might've been the best Chinese dim sum I've had recently. A hidden dim sum powerhouse! Next time I come, I definitely want to eat this again ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

What about it for lunch or a group dinner in Gwanghwamun

A whole plate of dim sum for under ₩10,000 isn't bad at all, right? Haha. If you want a simple lunch in Gwanghwamun or a spot for a group dinner, this place seems like exactly the right call.

If you don't want to skip out on knife-cut noodles, mapo tofu, or dim sum? I strongly recommend Cheonghwa Uyuk Dosakmyeon. Places with a huge menu where every single dish is still delicious are genuinely rare, I think. I was so happy to have such a truly delicious meal after a while 💛 Next time I crave Chinese food, I'll be back 💛