Gwanghwamun noodle shop for two: dry knife-cut noodles, Cheonghwa

Cheonghwa Uyuk Dosakmyeon: the Chinese restaurant a Gwanghwamun and Jongno regular heads straight for

Whenever I have errands near Gwanghwamun or Jongno, Cheonghwa Uyuk Dosakmyeon (청화 우육도삭면) is my favorite Chinese spot, and I walk straight there without even glancing at anywhere else. Do you have a go-to place you head to every time you're in Gwanghwamun or Jongno, no thinking required? My friends, and even my husband, use this place for meetings, so it's well proven. Beyond the beef noodles everyone knows, it has plenty of hidden menu items, and once you try them it's hard to pull yourself away.

Have you ever had really good noodles and dim sum around Gwanghwamun or Jongno? This neighborhood is full of office workers and restaurants with long waiting lines, so it's confusing to tell which one is the truly famous Gwanghwamun beef noodle place. At first I wandered around too, staring at the long line next door, until I stumbled upon Cheonghwa Uyuk Dosakmyeon by chance.

It may look ordinary from the outside, but after that first bite that made my eyes pop open, this has been my Chinese restaurant in the area for good. I advertise it to everyone around me every time I go, so let me share, one by one, what has won me over.

What to eat at Cheonghwa Uyuk Dosakmyeon besides beef noodles? Yubal knife-cut noodles

The first thing I recommend isn't the regular beef noodle soup everyone orders, but the brothless, mixed-style yubal knife-cut noodles (유발도삭면). They're ₩11,000, and the wide, thick knife-cut noodles have that wonderfully chewy texture, so they're great to bite into.

The spicy, savory sauce doesn't just slide off the noodles but settles right into them, so mixing it all up is a lot of fun.

Everyone thinks of noodles in broth first, but I can say with confidence that the brothless mixed yubal knife-cut noodles are the real hidden star here.

Once you get hooked on this chewiness, ordinary noodles feel bland, and the flavor that fills your mouth is amazing. Please try them!

How do you eat the xiaolongbao at Cheonghwa Uyuk Dosakmyeon?

The xiaolongbao (소룡포, soup dumplings) here are ₩9,800: dim sum with a thin wrapper packed with rich meat juices. They're the next must-order after the yubal knife-cut noodles, and the look of them alone makes your mouth water. The classic way is to set a dumpling carefully on a spoon, tear the wrapper slightly, and slurp the juices that flow out first.

Then dip it in soy sauce topped with sharp ginger and pop it in whole, and the savory meat aroma and the clean ginger fill your mouth. The quality is so good that I suspect this is why so many people name Cheonghwa Uyuk Dosakmyeon as a top dim sum place in Gwanghwamun.

What to order for two? A trio with the refreshing cold appetizer

If two of you visit Cheonghwa Uyuk Dosakmyeon, adding the ₩9,800 refreshing cold appetizer (상큼냉채) to the yubal knife-cut noodles and xiaolongbao makes the best-balanced combination.

The spiciness of the noodles and the rich juices of the dumplings keep stacking up, and your mouth can get greasy or heavy. That's when one bite of the crunchy, sweet-and-sour cold appetizer resets your palate like magic, leaving it fresh and clean.

The cold appetizer perfectly offsets the heaviness of oily Chinese food and whets your appetite, so these three dishes together are simply fantastic. You don't even need to study the long menu; just pick this combo and you'll have a perfect, can't-fail meal.

• Yubal knife-cut noodles ₩11,000: chewy knife-cut noodles mixed without broth
• Xiaolongbao ₩9,800: drink the juices first, then dip in ginger soy sauce
• Refreshing cold appetizer ₩9,800: crunchy and sweet-and-sour, refreshes your mouth

What are the atmosphere and service like at Cheonghwa Uyuk Dosakmyeon?

The inside of Cheonghwa Uyuk Dosakmyeon is comfortably split across the 1st and 2nd floors, so you can eat in comfort whichever floor you sit on. One of the things I like most is that even at busy peak times, the staff are really kind and quick, so everything runs smoothly. Food comes out very fast and the guidance is friendly, so it works well for an office worker's precious lunch break or a meeting.

There are plenty of other places nearby with long lines, but I'm so happy with Cheonghwa Uyuk Dosakmyeon that I honestly don't know why people suffer waiting elsewhere. With taste, service and speed all together, it's a rare Chinese restaurant in Jongno, and I always leave in a good mood.

Wrap-up: a regular's recommendation for Cheonghwa Uyuk Dosakmyeon

Cheonghwa Uyuk Dosakmyeon is my soulmate of a regular spot, and it has turned everyone around me into regulars too. The trio of exceptionally chewy yubal knife-cut noodles, juice-bursting xiaolongbao and the refreshing cold appetizer that cuts the richness is amazing every time. Thanks to the kind, fast service, you can enjoy a satisfying Chinese meal on either the 1st or 2nd floor and feel well looked after. If you're planning to visit Gwanghwamun or Jongno, don't wander around; stop by and try this perfect trio yourself.