Gangseo gyukatsu dinner with cold soba and mini curry: Ichigyu

Met up with Nangpang for a secret (?) dinner date haha. Trying to decide what to eat, I went with the recommendation of veteran-Nang who'd already been to Ichigyu before — tonight's menu was decided: gyukatsu.

Where is Ichigyu Balsan Station Branch? Hours and parking

• 📍Location: 2nd floor, 269-15 Gonghangdae-ro, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, Hillstate Eco Magok
• ⏰Hours: Daily 11:30-21:30 (break time 15:00-17:00)
• 🚗Parking: Available in the building

Outside the restaurant

Come out of Exit 1 of Balsan Station (Line 5) and it's right there, in the Hillstate Eco Magok building!

Take the elevator all the way to the back and this super Japanese-feeling interior appears

There's even a glasses-and-headband combo in one corner, perfect for that photo-booth mirror selfie vibe haha

How long is the wait at 7pm on a weekday?

I went around 7pm on a weekday and there was a wait! Waited about 5 minutes out front before getting in. Naver reservations are also available, so keep that in mind if you're planning to go!

The place was so packed that by the time we finished eating and I took a photo of the vibe, I genuinely couldn't tell if I was in Japan or Korea!! It really felt like an authentic local gyukatsu joint.

With posters like this scattered around and soft lighting, it also looked like a great spot for a date!

Ordering at Ichigyu and what the pang-pang-ju menu includes

You order by scanning the QR code stuck on the table! There are set menus too, which made it perfect for two people.

They also have instructions on how to eat gyukatsu the best way, so even first-timers can easily follow along!

Three sauces come out too, so you can pick whatever suits your taste. Today's picks: sirloin gyukatsu ₩19,500, steak-style sirloin ₩19,500, cold soba & fried shrimp ₩11,000, mini curry ₩5,000 (Nang tried to stop me but I ordered it anyway haha).

Ooh, the rice comes out like this too haha. I went to scoop a bit and was momentarily thrown by the size of the rice paddle haha, but veteran-Nang wasn't fazed at all.

Even after generously serving ourselves into rice bowls, there was still some left. What generosity!

Ta-da...!!! It really comes out as a full, generous spread

Gyukatsu vs steak-style gyukatsu: what is the difference?

This is Nang's gyukatsu! Great marbling and the meat was pretty thick!

And here's my steak-style gyukatsu! I've usually only had regular gyukatsu, so I was super curious about this one!!!

It's sirloin with Ichigyu's special sauce, and even before grilling, the grain of the meat already looked so soft!

The difference between gyukatsu and steak gyukatsu: gyukatsu has more of a chewy meat texture, while the steak one is completely tender and soft

Veteran-Nang's take: gyukatsu feels like ribeye-style tonkatsu haha, and the steak one feels like tenderloin-style tonkatsu!! Honestly that's exactly the right way to put it haha

Cold soba and fried shrimp: a palate reset between cutlets

Next came the cold soba and fried shrimp — this restaurant's cold soba is seriously delicious...!

Everyone's probably focused on the gyukatsu (right? haha), but the cold soba... exceeded expectations..!!! The gyukatsu can get greasy after a while, but eating this cold soba totally resets your palate

The fried shrimp was also pretty crispy with great texture, good as a side while working through the gyukatsu

How to grill gyukatsu: 7 to 8 seconds in Isigny butter

One thing that really stood out to me about Ichigyu's gyukatsu — they give you Isigny butter like this!? At other places I've just grilled it plain on the griddle!

Once you coat it in this butter, the flavor definitely... no wait, the smell too... and then you put the gyukatsu on top of that..!? haha How could that not be delicious

It cooks faster than you'd think once it's on the griddle, so turning it for about 7-8 seconds was just right!

I tried the gyukatsu first, and honestly, I used to think all gyukatsu tasted pretty much the same...? Yeah, I take that back.

Ichigyu's gyukatsu was way more delicious than I expected haha. Crispy on the outside, tender meat, and grilling it yourself keeps the juices alive — and the meat quality definitely doesn't feel dry or tough!

And the steak gyukatsu, which I tried for the first time!! It had a totally different feel from regular gyukatsu — the meat was seriously tender and moist...!

Me, who thought all gyukatsu types were basically the same... taking it back again haha. Personally I found the steak gyukatsu way more delicious, so I'll probably pick this one again next time!

You can dip it into Ichigyu's own special sauce and the chili sauce too!! Both were good, but personally I liked the special sauce more haha. It's got that sweet edge!!

Is the 5,000-won mini curry worth adding?

And this mini curry!!!! One of those menu items you'd feel bad skipping at a gyukatsu place haha

Eating meat and rice, then taking a bite of curry in between — it keeps you eating with zero chance of getting sick of anything... So for me, gyukatsu plus mini curry is basically a set menu haha

Final verdict

There's the fun of grilling it yourself, and the lineup from gyukatsu to steak gyukatsu to cold soba was pretty satisfying overall! Ichigyu! Especially the steak gyukatsu, which I tried for the first time, was the most memorable dish for me haha. If you're near Balsan Station looking for a filling dinner, I'd recommend Ichigyu, the gyukatsu spot in Gangseo! Next time I'll have to go back and try something different haha.