Hyehwa Chinese restaurant, tomato egg & yuxiang eggplant: Cheonghwawon

Cheonghwawon Daehangno Branch: a Hyehwa Chinese restaurant for dinner before a play

Cheonghwawon Daehangno Branch is a restaurant near Hyehwa Station serving Taiwanese beef noodles, Chinese dishes and dim sum. I went before seeing a play in Daehangno, wanting dinner first. The mood is nice, so it looks good for a date, and the spices aren't strong, so there were plenty of dishes kids could eat too 😊

Where is Cheonghwawon Daehangno Branch?

The restaurant is about a 5-minute walk from Exit 4 of Hyehwa Station, so it's easy to reach and perfectly placed for before or after a show. I think it's a decent choice for anyone wondering where to have lunch or dinner in Daehangno.

There's a menu board out front, so you can check the dishes before going in, which I liked.

On one side there was even a dim sum steamer.

First and second floor seating: is it OK for groups?

The restaurant runs over two floors. The first floor felt small and cozy, while the second floor is much bigger and looked good for group gatherings or company dinners. With so many seats, you can eat in relative comfort even at busy times. I could see why people looking for Chinese food in Daehangno keep coming.

Menu layout and complimentary side dishes

The menu has a wide range of dishes: noodles, dim sum, rice dishes, fried dishes, stir-fries and cold dishes, so you can pick to your taste, which is nice.

Once you sit down, you get zha cai (pickled mustard stem) and peanuts as complimentary side dishes. They were nice to nibble on while waiting for the food.

How was the signature beef knife-cut noodles?

We ordered beef knife-cut noodles (우육도삭면), shumai (steamed open-top dumplings), fried eggplant rice bowl and tomato egg stir-fry. The noodles came out first, and as the signature dish of Cheonghwawon they looked hearty right away. Big chunks of beef sat in a richly simmered broth, and the spice aroma wasn't overpowering, so anyone could eat it without worry.

I especially loved the thick, chewy texture that's typical of knife-cut noodles. The more you chew, the more you taste the nutty wheat, and the broth was deep and rich, which was satisfying. It really gave me that classic Chinese-restaurant feeling you think of in Daehangno.

The most memorable dish: shumai

Of everything I ate at Cheonghwawon that day, the shumai personally left the biggest impression. Packed with shrimp and pork, it spread juiciness the moment I bit in. The wrapper was thin and soft, and the filling was bouncy yet moist.

The flying fish roe on top popped and added even more texture, and it was just so good. I could see why so many people recommend the shumai.

Tomato egg stir-fry and fried eggplant rice bowl

Tomato egg stir-fry: a Chinese home-style side

The tomato egg stir-fry I ordered as a side was satisfying too. It was full of fluffy eggs, and the sweet-and-sour tomato with a ketchup-like aroma blended nicely, easy to eat without feeling heavy. It had a strong Chinese home-cooking feel, so it went well with the other dishes.

Fried eggplant rice bowl: crispy, not mushy

The fried eggplant rice bowl (어향가지덮밥, with yuxiang sauce) was better than I expected. The eggplant is fried crispy to order and then stir-fried with yuxiang (garlic-chili sweet and savory) sauce, and I barely felt that mushy texture eggplant usually has. The outside was lightly crisp and the inside soft, and the sweet, savory sauce went really well with rice. It seemed like a dish even people who don't normally like eggplant could enjoy.

How were the portions, prices and service?

Overall the portions were decently generous and the prices weren't a burden. Considering today's prices, it was quite satisfying value. Above all, the staff, who looked to be from abroad, served us kindly, and I felt good throughout the meal.

If you're looking for a tasty Chinese restaurant in Daehangno near Hyehwa Station, I recommend Cheonghwawon Daehangno Branch. It's good for a meal before or after a show, and a satisfying place when you want a good-value Daehangno lunch. Next time I'd like to go back and try other dim sum and dishes 😊