Gongbao chicken rice bowl at Cheonghwawon, Hyehwa Chinese restaurant

Which Chinese restaurant near Hyehwa Station before Naksan Park?

With the weather being so, so nice lately, I headed to Daehangno for a walk up Naksan Park! While looking for somewhere to eat dinner near Hyehwa Station, I heard about a Chinese restaurant in Daehangno that recreates authentic Taiwanese flavors — decided on the spot!

Coming out of Hyehwa Station Exit 4 and walking straight toward the CGV, you'll spot Cheonghwawon Daehangno Branch! It's close to Sungkyunkwan University too, so I hear Sungkyunkwan students visit often. I've been to Hyehwa more times than I can count, yet I only just found out there's a beef noodle spot here — so unfair haha.

Arrived at Cheonghwawon, which serves Taiwanese beef noodles! The blue tile decoration along the bottom is totally my style~~ It really had that authentic on-location feel.

Cheonghwawon seating: solo window seats and a roomy second floor

I sat on the 1st floor, and there are window seats that make solo dining totally doable! The best spot for eating alone in Hyehwa. The dim sum here is apparently really famous too — there's a dim sum steamer and they steam them fresh to order, so it's a great place to head to when you're craving dim sum in Daehangno.

I heard there were seats on the 2nd floor too, so I went up to check it out! It was even more spacious than the 1st floor! There are plenty of 4-person tables, so it looks great for visiting with friends.

The restaurant has a clean, tidy atmosphere. Each table has a tablet installed, so it was nice being able to browse the menu and order at my own pace. It really felt like a Sungkyunkwan students' go-to spot! Lots of college students seemed to visit, and I also saw plenty of couples and neighborhood locals out for a meal.

What to order at Cheonghwawon: beef knife-cut noodles, gongbao chicken rice bowl, guobaorou

The menu had a huge variety of dishes. I didn't photograph everything, but there was a lot going on. Rice bowls, fried rice — of course — plus lots of noodle dishes and a nice range of sides. There were some unusual items too, like suzhu yupian and jingjiang rousi, so I promised myself I'd try something unusual next time! And next time I really can't skip the dim sum menu!! I hear the dim sum here is seriously, seriously good!

I ordered beef knife-cut noodles, gongbao chicken rice bowl (a sweet-savory diced chicken rice bowl), and guobaorou.

The basic table setting was great too. That peanut side dish practically calls for a beer...!!!!

Even with a lot of customers, the dishes came out fast! I could see the kitchen whipping things up at lightning speed. A generously loaded table. Noodles, rice bowl, and guobaorou — what a dream combo!

Cheonghwawon guobaorou: crisp outside, chewy inside, big portion

They brought the guobaorou with scissors, so I cut in and got to work. The portion was pretty big!! It was truly crispy, hot, evenly coated in sauce, and had that perfect crispy-chewy guobaorou texture. The price was reasonable and the portion generous, so I think Cheonghwawon will come to mind whenever I'm craving guobaorou. Definitely a solid Chinese restaurant in Daehangno.

Is the gongbao chicken rice bowl spicy? Mild enough for spice-wimps

The gongbao chicken rice bowl was glossy all over. The price was really affordable, and I was surprised by how much meat was piled on. It had chunky pieces of mild cucumber pepper, scallion, and carrot, all coated well in a sweet sauce. Not spicy at all, so even a spice-wimp like me could enjoy this delicious rice bowl!

This felt like a sauce style I'd never had before — sweet and seriously addictive, so I ate it up happily! I could tell right away this is a place that doesn't skimp on ingredients.

Beef knife-cut noodle broth as deep as Taiwan's

The beef knife-cut noodles had plump, chewy strands and a deep broth. It tasted exactly like the local beef noodles I had in Taiwan. The meat pieces were big, the broth deep and savory, so I really polished it off. The noodles were the knife-cut noodles I genuinely love, so I ate them chewy, filling, and delicious.

The knife-cut noodles are really reasonably priced and affordable, yet the portion is generous. On days I'm craving noodles, or craving beef noodles specifically, I think Cheonghwawon Daehangno Branch will come to mind.

A place with lots of unique menu items where I could really taste the authentic flavor through the beef noodles, rice bowl, and guobaorou! The restaurant was pleasant and the staff super kind, so it made for a really good visit~~ Great food, great location — Cheonghwawon Daehangno Branch, I'd revisit 10000 percent!