Jongno Chinese restaurant lunch with eggplant rice: Cheonghwawon

You know those days when you want to treat yourself to a lovely meal even when it isn't a special occasion~~ The kind of day when you want to fill up properly before or after seeing a play.

A Taiwanese-style Chinese meal found in Daehangno

So today, I visited a place that is just perfect for Taiwanese-style Chinese food and eggplant dishes for lunch in Daehangno!

It was Cheonghwawon Daehangno Branch (청화원 대학로점)!!~!! It is only 166 m from Exit 4 of Hyehwa Station, so it was really easy to find. If you are looking for Taiwanese-style Chinese food and eggplant dishes for lunch in Daehangno, this place is honestly perfect.

It is right in the heart of Hyehwa and Daehangno, making it a really great location to stop by before or after a play. The promise of hotel-level quality built over 10 years, at reasonable prices, really got my expectations up.

A space for solo meals and group gatherings alike

With its spacious, comfortable first- and second-floor seating, this was a place where everyone could dine comfortably, from solo diners to groups. I also liked that each table had a tablet for easy ordering.

Sharing xiaolongbao and eggplant rice

This time, we neatly ordered xiaolongbao (soup dumplings), refreshing cold salad, eoyang-gaji deopbap (rice topped with fish-fragrant eggplant), Tiger Rice Bowl, and Coke Zero! 🥟 Wow~~ The xiaolongbao had so much broth inside their thin wrappers that the juices burst out as soon as I bit in.

They say a chef from Guangdong makes them by hand, and the quality truly did feel different. It really had the stature of a proper Daehangno Taiwanese-style Chinese restaurant for lunch! The eggplant rice had tender eggplant thoroughly coated in a spicy-sweet sauce, and mixing it with the rice made it such a treat.

The Tiger Rice Bowl was spicy but not overpowering, with its savory flavor shining through, so I kept reaching for it. The refreshing cold salad was sweet and tangy, making it perfect for cleansing the palate between the other dishes. Daehangno Taiwanese-style Chinese food and eggplant dishes: absolutely approved!!~!!

Dim sum and noodles I want to try next time

I heard the shumai is a popular dim sum filled generously with shrimp and meat, and I definitely wanted to try that next time too. The beef knife-cut noodles also caught my attention: the broth is made by simmering Korean beef bones and arongsatae beef shank for over 24 hours, so I became curious about its light yet deep flavor.

Just like the Chinese dining culture of enjoying food together, sharing several dishes made it feel less like a meal and more like one happy stretch of time.

With its interior full of a Taiwanese local atmosphere, it was a great spot for dates, office-worker lunches, or a solo university student meal. Takeout and group dining are available too, so it was an easy place to use.

A Daehangno meal that suits before or after a play

When you are craving a Taiwanese-style Chinese meal around Daehangno or Hyehwa, make sure to visit Cheonghwawon Daehangno Branch! It is nice for a quick stop before a play, and it also suits lingering over a meal after the performance while sharing your impressions. You could pop in alone for a few pieces of dim sum and a hearty bowl of noodles, or come with a group to share this and that while spending time together.

Sitting in a space that felt so distinctly Taiwanese amid Daehangno's lively atmosphere made me feel, briefly, as if I were traveling. The quality for the price was so good that I naturally thought about coming back with friends to try all the dim sum and the beef knife-cut noodles too. It was a place that had everything in place—flavor, quality, and atmosphere. If you are planning an outing in Daehangno, I recommend taking this opportunity to treat yourself to a special meal at Cheonghwawon Daehangno Branch.