Tonkatsu near Jeonpo Station in Busan with pink salt: Katsu Gimseondo

Where is Katsu Gimseondo, and what is 7:40pm like?

Katsu Gimseondo is a tonkatsu restaurant on the first floor at 16 Seojeon-ro 47beon-gil, Busanjin-gu, Busan, 500m from Exit 7 of Jeonpo Station. Hours are 11:30-21:00, with a break time from 15:00-17:00 and last order at 20:00 — so if you're going late, definitely check the time. There's no parking.

• Address: 16 Seojeon-ro 47beon-gil, Busanjin-gu, Busan, South Korea (1st floor)
• Hours: 11:30-21:00
• Break time: 15:00-17:00
• Parking: None
• Note: Last order at 20:00

While looking for good tonkatsu around Seomyeon, I found this place with pretty solid reviews and had to check it out. The clean interior and reviews about how tender the tonkatsu was got me curious.

We went around 7:40pm, a bit past normal dinner rush, so it was fairly quiet and comfortable to eat.

Katsu Gimseondo's seating: solo bar seats and tables for dates

Overall, the interior at Katsu Gimseondo was clean and calm.

Seating ranged from solo seats to tables for two and four, so it looked comfortable whether you're eating alone, on a date, or with friends. There were even bar-style seats, so going in solo to eat tonkatsu didn't feel awkward at all.

Every table had wet wipes and utensils ready, along with salt and pepper already set out.

There was also a coat rack off to one side. You can hang up your coat and eat comfortably, so even in winter it shouldn't be a hassle.

What's on the menu at Katsu Gimseondo?

Katsu Gimseondo's menu is built around loin and tenderloin cuts, offering various tonkatsu sets including half-and-half tonkatsu, the Gimseondo set, and gabri-deungsim (loin with the rib meat attached) tonkatsu.

The loin tonkatsu set lets you enjoy a chewy texture and the savory richness of the fat, while the tenderloin tonkatsu set is known for its soft, moist texture.

The half-and-half tonkatsu set lets you try both loin and tenderloin together, good if you want to compare the two cuts.

The Gimseondo set comes with loin and tenderloin plus fried shrimp and a soft-boiled fried egg, so you get to enjoy several things at once.

The gabri-deungsim tonkatsu set uses the cut where the loin and rib meat are attached, said to have a richer meaty flavor and chewy texture.

Side dishes include katsu sando, curry to go with your meal, and fried shrimp, and you can add extras like the soft-boiled fried egg or tenderloin katsu.

*Ordered: tenderloin tonkatsu set, Gimseondo set

How to eat the tonkatsu: pink salt, wasabi and mustard

Katsu Gimseondo even provides a guide for how to enjoy the tonkatsu a bit more.

First, you grind the pink salt yourself on a black plate, then dip the tonkatsu lightly in it. They also recommend adding a bit of the wasabi that comes alongside.

Another way is to mix wasabi and mustard into the tonkatsu sauce and dip the cutlet in that.

Dipping in salt brings out the clean, savory taste of the meat itself, while the wasabi-mustard mix adds a sharp kick for a different kind of experience.

Tasting the tenderloin tonkatsu set and the Gimseondo set

Loin tonkatsu

The loin in the Gimseondo set had both lean meat and fat, giving it a different kind of savoriness from the tenderloin.

The coating was crispy, and the fatty part of the loin was savory with a chewy quality, so the flavor built up the more you chewed. A little wasabi on top brought out both the fat's richness and a sharp kick together — personally, I loved that combo.

Fried shrimp

The fried shrimp had a crispy outside with a springy, bouncy shrimp inside. After eating tonkatsu for a while, adding in a piece of shrimp changed up the texture and felt refreshing — it paired well with the rest of the Gimseondo set.

Tenderloin tonkatsu

With the tenderloin, the soft texture was the first thing I noticed. The coating was crispy while the meat inside was moist and tender, with no dryness at all.

Dipped lightly in pink salt, the clean, distinct flavor of the tenderloin really came through, and adding a bit of wasabi on top cut through any heaviness nicely.

Salad

The yuzu dressing gave it a refreshing feel. The bright yuzu flavor cleaned up the palate, going well alongside the tonkatsu.

Fried soft-boiled egg

The soft-boiled fried egg that comes with the Gimseondo set was unique too. It sits on top of the rice with a soy sauce seasoning, and the egg's savoriness paired well with the salty soy flavor.

It was good eaten alongside the tonkatsu, and also good just eaten with the rice on its own — a dish I kept quietly reaching for.

Miso soup

I expected the miso soup to taste plain like usual, but it had a slightly spicy edge I didn't expect.

It had that subtle spiciness like a Korean-style broth, which actually suited my taste well and went really nicely alongside the tonkatsu and rice.

Verdict: is Katsu Gimseondo worth a late dinner in Jeonpo?

Looking for tonkatsu around Seomyeon led me to Katsu Gimseondo, a place with an overall clean and calm dining atmosphere.

The tenderloin had a nice soft, moist texture, while the loin added the savoriness of fat, so I could really feel the difference between the two cuts. I especially liked being able to try the tonkatsu in different ways using the pink salt, wasabi, and mustard.

The Gimseondo set comes with loin and tenderloin plus fried shrimp and soft-boiled egg over rice, so it's a great fit for anyone wanting to try a variety of things at once.

If you're looking for a clean, well-kept tonkatsu spot in Jeonpo, I'd recommend giving it a visit.