Post-hospital date tonkatsu in Pangyo: loin katsu don at Katsu Shokudo

I visited Katsu Shokudo Pangyo Main Branch, a tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet) spot near Pangyo Station. I was looking for a katsudon (cutlet rice bowl), and since this is a Japanese-style tonkatsu specialist, the quality is great. A really good Pangyo lunch spot.

It works for a date, a solo meal or a group get-together. With 3 hours of free parking, I could leave the car where it was and shop at Hyundai Department Store afterward, which made the whole route easy.

Where is Katsu Shokudo Pangyo Main Branch, and how does parking work?

Katsu Shokudo Pangyo Main Branch is at B1, Unit 9, Alpha Dome Tower 3, 152 Pangyoyeok-ro. Park in the Alpha Dome Tower building and register at the restaurant to get 3 hours free. By public transport, it is a short walk from Exit 3 of Pangyo Station (Shinbundang and Gyeonggang lines).

Free parking is available in the Alpha Dome Tower building, and the building is pleasant. Parking at Hyundai Department Store Pangyo is tight, but Alpha Dome gives you 3 hours, so there is plenty of time to eat and shop.

You register your parking on the way out and get 3 hours free, so getting around is easy. The building is spacious and comfortable, which suits a group meal.

Katsu Shokudo Pangyo Main Branch opening hours

• Mon–Fri 11:20–21:30
• Sat–Sun 11:20–20:30
• Last order: 8:30 PM on weekdays, 8:00 PM on weekends

Why Katsu Shokudo fit a post-hospital date near Hyundai Department Store Pangyo

Katsu Shokudo Pangyo Main Branch is a Pangyo lunch spot with parking close to Hyundai Department Store. I was heading out on a date after a hospital appointment and planned to stop by Hyundai Department Store Pangyo too, so I looked for somewhere with easy parking and a convenient route, and ended up here.

It is close to Pangyo Station, so access is great. Alpha Dome Tower is a familiar building to Pangyo office workers, and it is near Hyundai Department Store Pangyo, a good spot for eating and then shopping. After parking in the building and registering at the restaurant, you get up to 3 hours free, so I ate and still made it through the department store.

Atmosphere and counter seats for solo diners

The restaurant is reached by elevator, and it is spacious and comfortable yet nicely decorated. The tables are spaced out, so talking was easy, and I liked the friendly staff who greeted us as soon as we walked in.

There are also counter seats where you can sit comfortably alone, so it is a good solo-meal spot in Pangyo. It suits office lunch breaks, dates and family meals.

When you sit down, you can watch the cooking through big glass windows, an open kitchen, which was fun. The cooking area looked clean and well kept, so it feels trustworthy.

How to order and what's on the menu

You order on the tablet at your seat, choosing with photos. There are set menus too, and since the menu comes with pictures, it was easy to swap or add sides as I looked.

Maybe because it is a Pangyo office-worker favorite, the menu includes curry, udon and rice bowls as well as tonkatsu, so everyone can eat to their taste. It is easy to order for a mixed group. For a Pangyo family meal, it also looks easy to pick things kids like.

Loin katsu set for 17,000 won: what comes with it and how does it taste?

The Katsu Shokudo loin katsu set is ₩17,000, and you choose a side as part of the set. My set came with a loin cutlet, mini udon, cabbage salad, yuzu wasabi, rice and pickled radish (danmuji).

When you order a set, you can choose mini udon or mini cold soba.

The cutlet is a nice thick size, and the layer of fat on top makes it delicious. According to the Naver Place detail page, Katsu Shokudo makes its tonkatsu with a patented low-temperature yuzu aging process. It is so rich and nutty that it goes well with just salt.

The meat is tender and juicy, so good.

The dressing on the cabbage salad is refreshing too, and goes well with the tonkatsu.

How was the 14,000-won loin katsu don?

The Katsu Shokudo loin katsu don is ₩14,000 and comes with cabbage salad, tsukemono (Japanese pickles) and soup broth. The thick cutlet and egg combination is great. The rice is soaked with just the right amount of sauce, and there are mushrooms too, so it was savory and I enjoyed it to the last bite.

Cabbage salad refills and asking for kimchi

At Katsu Shokudo Pangyo Main Branch you can get refills of the cabbage salad, soup broth and side dishes. I asked if they had kimchi, and they brought some out for me. I like cabbage salad with Japanese-style tonkatsu, and when I got a refill it came in a fresh bowl, neatly arranged just like the first time. Good good!

Parking is easy and it is a great Pangyo lunch spot, a good menu for chatting on a date.