Sangam-dong pork cutlet restaurant: tenderloin vs top sirloin at Kitto

After work I headed to a newly opened Japanese-style tonkatsu spot in Sangam-dong, near Digital Media City Station — a DMC restaurant called "Kitto."

Where is Kitto, and what are its hours? (5 minutes from DMC Station Exit 9)

Kitto is on the 2nd floor at 5-5 Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, and is open daily from 11:10 AM to 9:00 PM. Break time is 3:00–5:00 PM, with last orders at 2:00 PM and 8:00 PM. Simple payment (Toss Pay) is available, group visits are welcome, pets aren't allowed, and venue rental is possible.

It's about a 5-minute walk from Exit 9 (toward the Airport Railroad) of DMC Station (Digital Media City Station).

It's also fairly close to Sangam DDMC, so it's convenient if you're looking for a lunch spot for Sangam-dong office workers or somewhere to eat near DMC.

Is there parking at Kitto?

There's no parking available. Use a nearby public parking lot.

Inside Kitto: the dining room and solo bar seats

The place is neat and tidy from the exterior to the interior. Tables come in sets of 2 and 4, and there's also a single-person bar counter on one side for solo diners.

There are also seats where you can eat while looking out the window, so it didn't feel awkward to eat alone in Sangam-dong. When I visited, there were couples on dates too — the calm, clean atmosphere would also make it a good Sangam-dong date restaurant.

Kitto's menu and how to order

You order through the QR code on the table. The menu is made up of sirloin, tenderloin, top sirloin, and mixed katsu, plus side dishes like curry and fried shrimp.

On the table, a cup, water bottle, and smoked Maldon salt were neatly set out.

I heard they cook the tonkatsu using a low-temperature method, so I ordered while looking forward to what the texture would be like.

What we ordered at Kitto

• Top sirloin katsu ₩18,000
• Special tenderloin katsu ₩20,000
• Coke ₩3,000

Special tenderloin katsu, 20,000 won: an 8-piece set

Since it was the special tenderloin, it came out generous — big, thick pieces, about 8 in total.

It's not just the tonkatsu on its own — it comes as a full spread with cabbage, salad, rice, wasabi, hot mustard, mustard leaf kimchi, and truffle tonkatsu sauce.

Most tonkatsu places serve miso soup or a plain broth, but here it came with a clam-based soup instead. The broth was refreshing, so taking a spoonful between bites of the crispy, savory katsu cleaned up my palate nicely.

Following the instructions on the menu, I first tried a piece plain, without dipping it in anything, to taste the katsu itself.

Next I tried it with a light dip in the smoked Maldon salt, then with the sauce — it was nice being able to compare the differences in flavor. What stood out most was how white the breading was.

The breading was thin, clean, and crisp, so the first thing you notice on the bite is the crunch, followed by the moist, tender tenderloin inside. Tenderloin can easily turn dry, but even though these pieces were thick, they weren't tough or dry at all — just soft!!!

The katsu itself was already seasoned enough that I didn't need much sauce — just a light touch of wasabi. The tonkatsu sauce had a subtle truffle aroma, adding a savory, fragrant note when dipped.

Alternating between salt, wasabi, and truffle sauce let me enjoy the same tenderloin katsu in slightly different ways each time. Side dishes can also be refilled if you run low, by the way.

Top sirloin katsu, 18,000 won: 7 pieces with juicy fat

I eat regular sirloin katsu pretty often, so this time I wanted to try something a bit more special, and ordered the top sirloin.

The top sirloin katsu came sliced into 7 pieces, with the sirloin's characteristic savory flavor and a thick edge of fat.

There was a thick strip of fat along one side, and biting into it gave both juiciness and richness at once.

Sirloin definitely has more of a meaty aroma compared to tenderloin — if tenderloin is the soft, moist choice, top sirloin would suit those who like a savory, meatier tonkatsu.

Eating it with the cabbage salad cut the richness a bit, and a lemon sherbet is also served after the meal.

After eating tonkatsu, things felt a little greasy, but the lemon sherbet's refreshing, cool taste wrapped up the meal cleanly.

They also give out a soda if you participate in the review event, so keep that in mind if you visit.

If you're craving clean, well-made Japanese-style tonkatsu in Sangam-dong, or looking for a lunch or solo-dining spot near Sangam-dong DMC, the tidy atmosphere makes Kitto an easy, comfortable choice for Japanese-style tonkatsu in Sangam-dong.