Tonkatsu with a free rice refill in Samjeon-dong, Jamsil: Pine Katsu

I've been craving crispy Japanese-style katsu lately, so I went to check out a place near Samjeon Station ^_^ The thickness of the meat and the amount of cheese were both amazing!

Where is Pine Katsu Jamsil Main Branch, and what is it like inside?

Pine Katsu Jamsil Main Branch is located at 35 Baekjegobun-ro 21-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, near Samjeon Station. The tables were spaced out well enough that I saw solo diners, and it also seemed fine for dates or hanging out with friends.

Pine Katsu's menu and the free rice refill with sets

Pine Katsu's menu is mainly loin katsu, tenderloin katsu, and cheese katsu, with half-and-half combos available depending on your preference. As sides, there's mini udon (noodle soup) and curry, both good to pair with the katsu.

There's a sign on one side of the table saying that rice comes with one free refill when you order a set menu. The katsu portions aren't small, but if you're planning to eat with rice or mix it into the curry, this is good to know!!

They gave me a 490ml Coke with two cups of ice, which I really appreciated!! I ordered the loin katsu with udon set and a cheese katsu.

The loin katsu udon set and cheese katsu on the table

After a short wait, everything came out neatly arranged on a wooden tray. In front was a plate with the big cheese katsu, and behind it, the freshly fried loin katsu with the hot mini udon set, plus curry, rice, and side dishes filling the whole table!

The cheese katsu comes in 4 pieces, with a thin layer of meat wrapped around the outside and mozzarella cheese packed solidly inside. ^^

The loin katsu, made with aged pork, comes sliced into thick cuts, and the breadcrumb coating has a nice crispy texture!

Thick Japanese curry and the clear soup at Pine Katsu

The curry that comes as a side is served in a small bowl, topped generously with chopped green onion and crispy fried breadcrumb flakes. It's not watery like a broth — it's thick and rich, the heavy Japanese curry type. The seasoning is nicely salty, so it's good mixed into rice, and it also works well as a dipping sauce for the crispy katsu. The plain broth soup served alongside wasn't too salty and had a savory flavor, good for cleansing the palate between bites.

Mini udon noodles and the side dishes

The cheese katsu catches your eye right away with its look!

The udon has pink swirl fish cake, chopped green onion, and fried tofu skin toppings all properly included. When I lifted the noodles with my chopsticks, they hadn't gotten soggy at all and were quite bouncy and chewy. The broth was clean-tasting and warm, perfect to have alongside the crispy tonkatsu!!

Here are the basic side dishes and sauces. Crunchy diced radish kimchi and spicy pickled peppers came along to cut the greasiness so you don't get tired of the fried food~

Aged loin katsu inside and the cheese katsu stretch

The loin katsu comes cut into thick pieces with the snowflake-shaped breadcrumb coating still crisp and intact. Along the edge of the plate there's finely shredded cabbage salad, fresh wasabi, and a small circle of salt set alongside.

I lifted a piece of the loin cross-section with my chopsticks. ^^ Looking at the cross-section, you can clearly see the juices and moisture soaked between the meat fibers. Maybe because it's aged meat, it's tender without being dry, and the more you chew, the more you taste the pork's natural clean flavor, with no gamey smell at all.

This is the moment I picked up a bite of the cheese katsu. The cheese isn't stiff at all — it's so soft that it stretches continuously without breaking as I lift my chopsticks. There's no artificial or rubbery texture, just a rich, chewy, and savory taste of pure mozzarella. And the amount of cheese is so generous!!

Added an extra bowl of rice! ^^

Is Pine Katsu worth a tonkatsu meal near Samjeon Station?

There are plenty of tonkatsu restaurants around, but Pine Katsu Jamsil Main Branch consistently keeps the breading crisp, manages the oil well, and maintains solid meat quality — the tender juiciness of the loin, the generous cheese in the cheese katsu, and the rich curry and udon all came together in a stable, clean overall meal~! With the extra rice and curry, I left having had a hearty, satisfying meal. haha

If you're near Samjeon Station or Jamsil and want a clean, not-too-heavy Japanese-style tonkatsu meal, this is a place you can drop into and be satisfied with without much fuss.