Han Cheng Guan, Deira
There’s plenty of Korean restaurants in Dubai, but they tend to be on the expensive side. Han Cheng Guan however, is cooking up delicious authentic Korean cuisine at way more affordable prices. Located just down the road from Al Ghurair Centre, this is yet another Deira eatery that proves you can’t judge a tasty book by it’s nondescript cover.
You might notice from the exterior shot that these guys also offer Chinese and Japanese food. While I didn’t try either, my gut instinct says avoid! Too many restaurants in Dubai try to cover too much ground, rather than just doing their thang and doing it well. If I wanted sushi, I’d go to a Japanese restaurant. Amiright?!
I can never resist ordering bibimbap when having Korean food, and Han Cheng Guan’s is a treat! A hot stone bowl filled with rice, topped with a neat display of meat, vegetables and a fried egg, to be mixed altogether with the accompanying gochujang sauce (a red pepper and sesame oil based paste). That stone bowl gets the bottom of the rice beautifully crisp and chewy, an integral aspect in the beauty of the bibimbap. The result is pure mouth-shovelling pleasure.
Korean menus can be pretty confusing if you’re new to the cuisine, so if you’re stuck on what else to order, here’s our tip: you’ve got to get grilling. Here at Han Cheng Guan they’ll bring out a little portable grill to your table, which brings a lovely interactive vibe to your eating experience.
Whether you go for the Bulgogi (sirloin), galbi (short ribs) or branch out with the Sogogi Jumulleok (beef short steak), the thinly sliced meat comes marinated in that wonderful typical Korean style. A little bit sweet and fruity, plenty of garlic and sesame, and with the most mouth-watering aromatics wafting around your table as it sizzles. There is nothing better than grilling well-marinated meat, in the middle of a table filled with condiments and various assortments of spicy, sweet, and tangy little dishes.
Here’s what you do next: load up all that juicy grilled meat into a crisp lettuce leaf, add some sauce, a little kimchi, garlic, a slice of chili if you dare. Maybe even some rice from the bibimbap, turn that lettuce taco into a lettuce burrito. Wrap it up, and enjoy. Sweet tender meat, crunchy lettuce, sour kimchi, a whole load of flavours partying it up together. That’s why I love Korean food so damn much.
For Korean food without the fancy decor and hefty price tag, Han Cheng Guan have got it covered (although hey, who doesn’t love a beaded curtain). Sure, it might not be the greatest Korean food ever, I’m not sat here crying over the memories. But if you’ve got a craving for those flavas and aren’t feeling spendy, get your butt over to Deira and fire up the grill at Han Cheng Guan. Cravings will be fulfilled.
Han Cheng Guan Address: Omar Bin Al-Khattab Rd, next to Union Bank Phone:+971 4 229 9620
If you’re looking for Korean food, you might also like: Mannaland, Satwa

















