Ingye-dong cutlet spot, grandma's-house ₩28,900 set for 2: Gyewondang

Going on a date costs more than you'd think these days. Pick a nice restaurant, add drinks, and you're quickly past ₩40,000–50,000. Today I visited Gyewondang (계원당), a hugely popular spot in Ingye-dong, Suwon.

I loved the warm, grandma's-house mood and the generous spread. My boyfriend, who eats a lot, was happy, and so was I, since I love pretty restaurants, so I wanted to share it.

Where is Gyewondang Ingye Branch, and what's the atmosphere like?

Gyewondang is a handmade pork cutlet restaurant between Suwon City Hall Station and the main Ingye-dong district. The gate looks exactly like my maternal grandmother's gate, which was so fun that I walked right in!

Inside, there are wooden furniture, vintage props, and old picture frames and decorations here and there, and it felt like visiting grandma's house.

It has a different kind of comfort from the usual trendy café vibe. The restaurant was bigger than I expected, and the tables are nicely spaced, which is good for a date.

How much is the Gyewon Katsu Set for 2, and what comes with it?

The Gyewon Katsu Set for 2 at Gyewondang Ingye Branch was ₩28,900 and included the Gyewon cutlet platter, butter curry for 2, 4 pieces of buckwheat jeonbyeong (savory buckwheat rolls), and 2 ades or Americanos. We ordered this set and were surprised by everything in it.

For today's prices, that's a pretty good deal. The Gyewon platter in particular isn't an ordinary cutlet dish. It lets you enjoy a fried chicken steak, a Gyewon chicken cutlet and a pork loin cutlet all at once. I liked that you taste several things instead of just one.

You can also pick your rice from black rice, Heukdogeu rice or egg fried rice, so you can order to your taste. A full bowl of black rice, like grandma would make, was very satisfying.

Nowadays at this price, you often get just a lonely cutlet, but at Gyewondang it came with various side dishes, salad, soup, curry and buckwheat rolls too. It really felt like a hearty table laid out by grandma.

How were the pork loin cutlet, chicken cutlet and fried chicken steak?

The pork loin cutlet on the Gyewon platter had a nice balance of crispy coating and tender meat. The chicken cutlet uses 100% whole chicken thigh meat, maybe that's why it was moist with no dryness and a very soft texture.

The fried chicken steak especially kept me reaching for more, crispy outside and juicy inside. Tender and soft, really delicious! Alternating between the pork cutlet and chicken cutlet, I never got tired of it until the end.

How were the butter curry and buckwheat rolls?

The butter curry at Gyewondang was satisfying too. It's a mild Japanese-style curry that isn't heavy, so it went well with the cutlet, and eaten with rice it was filling.

Personally, the buckwheat rolls were the surprise star. They were grilled moist and well filled, so much that they didn't feel like a side dish. The scallions alongside were fresh and kept my appetite going, so I finished every bite!

Is Gyewondang Ingye Branch good for a date meal?

The grandma's-house interior at Gyewondang was memorable, but the food was even better. A hearty table like grandma's, full of side dishes almost anyone would enjoy, made for a very pleasant meal.

With a cool ade and curry on the side, it's a place where a boyfriend who eats a lot and a girlfriend who loves pretty restaurants can both be happy. Best of all, even with prices rising so much lately, we got such a generous and pretty meal for under ₩30,000.

If you're visiting Ingye-dong in Suwon or the area near Suwon City Hall Station, Gyewondang Ingye Branch is worth a stop.