Jongno Korean restaurant for straw-fired octopus: Hyehwahwa

Today, I visited Hyehwahwa (혜화화), a fusion Korean pub that puts dishes par-cooked over straw fire front and center!

Once I heard that the recipes were created by a young chef and their mother, who has years of know-how, I got even more curious about the menu??

What is the atmosphere like inside?

The interior was clean and cool, with an atmosphere that works for a casual drink with friends or a slightly more polished occasion like a first date.

We settled into a window-side seat! It is not a huge space, but I was happy to eat with that hanok (traditional Korean house) feeling,, 😌 The food photographs beautifully too!

Menu and prices

You can order from the menu by table order—

From straw-fired spicy tteok gopdoritang (rice cakes, beef intestines, chicken, and potatoes; ₩26,000), spicy hotpot with grilled gopchang (beef intestines; ₩26,000), straw-fire par-cooked cauldron octopus knife-cut noodles (₩24,000), 1++ Korean beef yukhoe (seasoned raw beef) and aged-kimchi egg sushi (₩26,000), to straw-grilled garlic jeong barbecue boiled pork (₩32,000), every name sounded extraordinary from the start.

There were also seriously well-rounded sides, including spicy scallop and clam soup (₩15,000), plump fish-cake soup packed with scallops (₩23,000), 1++ Korean beef yukhoe bomb (₩23,000), cheese-loaded beef brisket kimchi fried rice (₩15,000), and plump shrimp gangjeong (₩15,000). We spent a long time happily agonizing over what to order, hehe.

Cauldron octopus noodles and shrimp gangjeong together

That day, we ordered cauldron octopus knife-cut noodles, plump shrimp gangjeong, scallop and clam soup, and Dalbit Yuzu Makgeolli.

We secretly ordered a makgeolli too, haha. Hyehwahwa is closer to a bar, after all,,~~

First up, the cauldron octopus knife-cut noodles were as incredibly delicious as they look in the photos. Maybe because they are par-cooked over straw fire, the smoky flavor really comes through, and while the sauce is spicy, it is not aggressively so—I just kept eating!!

The octopus had such a bouncy, lively texture that every bite was satisfying, and I never expected kalguksu (knife-cut noodle) noodles to work this well with it. Why was the portion so generous too? 🎆

I was also so glad we ordered the plump shrimp gangjeong. You get 10 big fried shrimp (!!), which makes it a genuinely satisfying value. The coating was crisp and stayed crisp right to the end, making it perfect both as a drinking snack and with rice. It looked like ordinary shrimp gangjeong, but I was surprised from the very first bite 🐷

Sadly, the scallop and clam soup came with only clams because they had run out of scallops. Even so, the broth was so spicy and refreshing that we scraped the bowl clean. Its deep seafood savoriness made it just right as both a hangover cure and a drinking snack. Next time, I want to try it again when scallops are available.

Dalbit Yuzu Makgeolli was tangy, fragrant, and had that trendy makgeolli flavor! Since it was sweet, it went down so easily with the food,, I recommend it if you want an easy-drinking makgeolli!

A Daehangno Korean pub where straw-fire aroma stands out

Honestly, it is not easy to find a pub these days that brings out straw-fire aroma properly, and Hyehwahwa had a clear strength there. From smoky, spicy dishes like the octopus noodles to crispy sides like shrimp gangjeong, the balance was so good that any combination seemed unlikely to fail!! It would also be a great gathering spot for people who like soju or makgeolli.

If you are looking for a distinctive Korean pub near Daehangno, I highly recommend Hyehwahwa!! Next time, I am definitely trying the straw-grilled jeong barbecue boiled pork and aged-kimchi egg sushi, hehe.