Geomdan donkatsu restaurant, cold buckwheat noodles for two: Gyeomson

A while back my wife and I went to Gyeomson Donkatsu Geomdan Branch for dinner. We were stuck in that happy dilemma of what to order — curious about the old-style pork cutlet, wanting to try the tenderloin cutlet, and unwilling to give up the cold buckwheat noodles I love. So in the end... we ordered everything, haha.

We found a genuinely great restaurant that didn't fall short anywhere. We ate until we were completely full — and looking back now, I think it was the right call to try all three.

Parking and seating at Gyeomson Donkatsu Geomdan Branch

We came for Geomdan pork cutlet at Gyeomson Donkatsu Geomdan Branch. There's parking space right in front of the restaurant, and we parked in the alley behind it. Inside, it was cozier and cleaner than I expected.

There are bar-style seats good for eating alone, plus 2-person tables and larger seating for groups, so it looked good for anything from a solo meal to a family dinner out.

True to pork cutlet's reputation as a soul food for men, we saw several solo diners eating while we were there, and delivery orders kept coming in too. The restaurant's atmosphere especially suited the old-style pork cutlet.

There's a certain... feel of an old-fashioned Western-style diner, which matched perfectly with the menu we tasted.

How ordering works: tablet at every table

At Gyeomson Donkatsu Geomdan Branch, you order from the menu using the tablet at your table, and you can also call staff or request refills through it.

It was convenient that we could request extra rice, soup, cabbage salad, curry, and so on whenever we needed. Here's what we ordered:

• Restaurant-style old-style pork cutlet ₩14,000
• Soft, juicy tenderloin pork cutlet ₩15,000
• Fresh buckwheat cold noodles ₩11,000

Three dishes in total.

Old-school pork cutlet, 14,000 won, plated like a Western diner set

The old-style pork cutlet arrived first. The look of it alone got me excited.

Two large cutlets fill the plate, piled generously with a rich sauce. A white sauce is zigzagged over the top, with lemon and parsley added, and just from the look of it you think, "Ah, this is old-style pork cutlet."

My wife and I had recently watched a TV show featuring old-style pork cutlet, and that's what made us order this dish that day. Maybe that's why it felt extra welcome. It has its own atmosphere, distinct from the thick, modern-style cutlets you see these days.

It comes with cream soup too, which brought back memories of the old-style diners from my school days. Beyond the taste, there's real enjoyment in eating the whole look and atmosphere along with it.

While eating the cutlet, I tried a piece of the diced radish kimchi, and it was more well-fermented than I expected, and delicious. Seems like they age the kimchi carefully too, not just the meat, haha. Why is this kimchi so good, haha — we ended up asking for a refill of that too.

The cabbage salad also came in a generous portion, good to eat alongside the cutlet.

Tenderloin pork cutlet, 15,000 won, my top pick at Gyeomson

It's a tough question, but if I had to choose just one based on taste alone, I'd recommend the tenderloin pork cutlet at Gyeomson Donkatsu Geomdan Branch.

The tenderloin comes cut into several round pieces, and the meat is quite thick. The center has a slight pink tint, and when I tried it, it was so tender.

Crispy outside, moist inside, with juices you can really taste. Above all, it wasn't dry, and there wasn't that particular pork smell. The batter wasn't too thick either, so the texture of the meat itself really came through.

How to eat it: pink salt and wasabi, then sauce, curry and lemon

Following the method shown at the table, I first tried it with pink salt and wasabi. That was clean and simple, and next I dipped it in the sauce.

Then I dipped it in the curry... and that turned out to be exactly my taste. One dip led to another, and before I knew it, I'd finished off the whole curry.

So of course, curry refill, haha. Later I noticed a lemon wedge sitting on the side of the plate, squeezed a little juice over the cutlet, and the added brightness gave it yet another flavor.

Getting to try one cutlet several different ways was genuinely fun for me.

And interestingly, I barely touched the cola that came with the Naver reservation. I'm usually a soda addict, but that day, between the cutlets and the cold noodles, I didn't feel much of a craving for it, haha.

Cold buckwheat noodles, 11,000 won, served with ice flakes

And the dish I was most looking forward to that day: Gyeomson Donkatsu Geomdan Branch's fresh buckwheat cold noodles for ₩11,000. I love cold buckwheat noodles in general, so I knew I had to order it no matter what.

A big bowl came out with a slush of ice floating on top, and the buckwheat noodles were piled with radish, cucumber, radish sprouts, seaweed, green onion, tomato, and more.

Lifting up the noodles, you could clearly see that distinctive buckwheat color, and the texture was springy and chewy in a satisfying way. Above all, the icy slush was done properly — this would be seriously refreshing on a hot day.

The portion was generous too, and thoughtfully, they gave us a small side plate and ladle, which made it easy for the two of us to share it alongside the cutlets. The cold noodles themselves were so good that I think you could come here on a hot summer day just for them alone.

A bite of cutlet, then a bite of cold noodles... the pork cutlet and cold noodles combo is hard to go wrong with.

What should two people order at Gyeomson Donkatsu?

Having tried all three that day, my wife and I talked about which one stood out the most.

If you're not dining solo, I'd recommend ordering one old-style pork cutlet and one tenderloin pork cutlet and sharing them.

The old-style pork cutlet has great flavor, but it also has a distinct visual appeal and atmosphere. Especially for someone like me, who came here after watching an old-style pork cutlet show with my wife, the meal itself can become a little memory of its own. Adding the cold noodles on top makes it even better. Of course, the portion gets quite large.

When the food arrived, we even said, "Did we order too much?" But once we'd finished all three, the conclusion was: "We would have regretted it if we hadn't ordered everything," haha.

Looking for a restaurant near Geomdan Intersection in Incheon?

Gyeomson Donkatsu Geomdan Branch had a comfortable atmosphere, with seating good for solo dining as well as 2- and 4-person tables, so it seemed convenient no matter how you're visiting.

They even have baby chairs so you can visit with a child, and being able to request refills via the tablet made things easy.

Most of all, that day I got to feel the old-school charm of the old-style pork cutlet, taste the tender meat of the tenderloin cutlet, and eat the cold noodles I love — it felt like a proper, complete dinner.

You can tell how satisfied I was just by checking my baseball buddies' group chat.

Gyeomson Donkatsu Geomdan Branch: hours, location and parking

• Address: 46 Wanjeong-ro, 3-dong 4, 5, 6, 7, Seo-gu, Incheon, South Korea
• Hours: Daily 11:00–21:00 (last order 20:30)
• Closed: Every Monday
• About 253m from Majeon Station Exit 1