Squid leg fry and wasabi tenderloin gyukatsu in Seolleung: Gyuen Dang

Today's post is about Gyuen Dang Seolleung Branch (규엔당 선릉점), a great spot for lunch near Seolleung Station.

Gyuen Dang Seolleung Branch

Where is Gyuen Dang Seolleung Branch, and is there parking?

Gyuen Dang Seolleung Branch is located in the restaurant alley near Seolleung Station, very close to Exit 2 or Exit 1. There's no dedicated parking, so you'll need to use a nearby public or paid parking lot.

Here's the entrance to Gyuen Dang, a solid lunch spot near Seolleung Station. It's on the 2nd floor, with an outdoor staircase leading straight up. Big banners on both sides of the stairs make it easy to spot and find.

Gyuen Dang Seolleung Branch menu and interior

Right at the entrance there's a menu board and a spot to register for waiting. The menu seems to center on gyukatsu and omurice — tenderloin gyukatsu, sirloin gyukatsu, brie cheese omurice, hambagu omurice — plus rice bowls and side dishes.

Stepping inside, it's clean and fresh — it just opened, after all. Japanese writing covers the walls, and I could see brazier-like fixtures around too. Most tables seat 2–4 people, each with its own personal brazier on top.

Ordering is conveniently done via QR code, with a code attached to every table.

Here's the menu at Gyuen Dang, great for a Seolleung Station lunch. I ordered the tenderloin gyukatsu and geso-age fried squid legs. I was curious about the torikawa fry too, but it was sold out when I went.

How to grill and eat gyukatsu at the table

While waiting, I read the instructions for how to best enjoy gyukatsu on the table. It says to eat a couple pieces as-is first, then grill it with butter on top. There's also guidance for enjoying the omurice — seeing the photos, I'll definitely have to come back for that next time.

What comes with the tenderloin gyukatsu set, and how much food is it?

After a short wait, my tenderloin gyukatsu arrived. The staff lit the brazier for me and gave a quick rundown of how to eat it.

The tenderloin gyukatsu had a thin breading, and the cross-section of the meat just looked delicious. The portion seemed pretty generous too, though if you want more, you can add extra meat. Along with it came rice, salad, miso soup, butter, and sauces — salt, wasabi, and something like a tonkatsu sauce but slightly different.

Butter-grilled gyukatsu: salt or wasabi?

The instructions say to try it plain first, but I love butter, so I put it on right away, haha. The aroma that came up as it melted was incredible. Once it's grilled just right, you eat it straight away — crispy outside, moist inside, super tender, and full of juice. I'm not really a wasabi fan, so at first I only dipped it in salt and the separate sauce. Between the two, salt seemed tastier.

This time I tried it with wasabi on top too. I'm not big on wasabi, but the wasabi-topped bite turned out to be the tastiest, haha. It really cut through the richness and made it even better.

What is geso-age squid leg fry?

While I was working through the gyukatsu, the geso-age fry arrived. Turns out geso-age is fried squid legs.

The batter was super crispy while the squid legs inside had a nice chewy texture. Dipped in the sauce, it had a slightly creamy, spicy edge that paired really well.

Is Gyuen Dang Seolleung Branch worth it? Final verdict

It had been a while since I had gyukatsu, and Gyuen Dang, a great lunch spot near Seolleung Station, hit the spot — the gyukatsu was so soft and juicy. The place was clean and the whole meal was satisfying. Next time I definitely need to go back for the omurice, haha.