Seoul Square gyukatsu, grilled one slice at a time: Furato Shokudo

Today I'm writing about Furato Shokudo (후라토식당), a gyukatsu (breaded beef cutlet) place at Seoul Square near Seoul Station that does it really well.

I was looking for somewhere to eat at Seoul Square, and I suddenly craved gyukatsu after a long time, so I headed to Furato Shokudo.

This time I ordered 2 gyukatsu, and since you grill it yourself on the table, the meal was even more fun than I expected.

Where is Furato Shokudo Seoul Square Direct Store?

Furato Shokudo Seoul Square Direct Store is on the first basement level of the Seoul Square building, right in front of Seoul Station. Being inside Seoul Square, it's a decent spot for office workers at lunch or after work.

The interior is clean and tidy, so it felt comfortable whether you're eating solo or as a pair, and quite a few other guests had come for gyukatsu too.

I ordered 2 gyukatsu, and when the food arrived it came with a small grill for cooking the meat yourself. In photos it just looks like a regular gyukatsu set, but in person the fun is putting the meat on the grill bit by bit.

What's different about grilling Furato's gyukatsu yourself?

The gyukatsu comes out crispy outside and tender inside. At first I thought it would be fine to eat it as is, but once I put it on the grill and cooked it myself, it felt different.

When the meat hits the grill it sizzles and the aroma rises. Grilling one or two slices and eating them right away let me really taste the meat while it was warm. Personally, I liked cooking the surface a little longer.

The coating turns golden and crunchy, and since I didn't overcook the inside, it stayed tender. Getting the crispy part and the soft meat in one bite is the fun of gyukatsu, I think. And since it's a meat dish, the first few slices are great, but keep going and it can get

a little heavy. Eating it with rice or the sauce made a good combination, though. I also liked that grilling right at the table kept the food from going cold during the meal.

Grill one slice at a time and the last bite stays warm

If you grill everything at once, it can cool down as time passes. Grilling a little each time I ate meant I could enjoy even the last piece warm. The gyukatsu comes out crispy outside and tender inside.

Personally, putting one slice at a time on the grill and cooking it to my liking was much tastier than eating it as served. The meat sizzles and the aroma rises, and eating it right off the grill while warm gave a great texture. Keeping the surface lightly crisp and the inside juicy let me really taste the tenderness of the beef.

Is adding butter to gyukatsu worth it?

This time I added butter too, and it went together much better than I expected.

As the butter melts on the grill, a nutty aroma coats the meat, and the difference in flavor from plain grilling was quite big. The rich butter made the beef taste deeper, and with the crispy coating plus the butter, I just kept eating.

The gyukatsu itself was good, but of everything I tried this time, the butter-grilled combination was my favorite. Putting on only what you'll eat and eating it right away is definitely tastier than grilling it all at once, and it made for a relaxed, slow meal.

Is it worth a visit when you crave gyukatsu at Seoul Square?

If you're looking for lunch or dinner at Seoul Square and gyukatsu comes to mind, Furato Shokudo Seoul Square Direct Store is worth stopping by.

I especially liked that you grill the gyukatsu yourself, so you can have the meat as done as you like, and adding butter changed the flavor noticeably. Personally, I was very satisfied.

I ordered 2 gyukatsu this time, and it works well for two people ordering one each. I thought it's a good pick near Seoul Square when you want something a little different from usual.

Next time I visit, I'd add butter again. At first I wondered if butter was really necessary, but once I grilled it together, the nutty flavor was clearly different and stuck in my memory.

• If you order gyukatsu, rather than grilling all the meat at once, put on only what you'll eat and have it right away
• Adding butter on top gives a nuttier, richer flavor

It's easy to reach whether you want a work lunch at Seoul Square or dinner near Seoul Station, and if you usually like gyukatsu, it's worth a visit at least once. I had gyukatsu this time, but next time I'd like to try other dishes too.