Busan tonkatsu restaurant with corn dressing salad refills: Hets Jeonpo

I first tried Hets at its Gwangalli flagship and loved it so much that I went back several times, so I had to visit when a new location opened in Jeonpo. Unlike the compact Gwangalli flagship, Hets Jeonpo Branch has a larger, more comfortable space, so I could eat at ease. But lately, every time I go, the premium loin katsu is sold out—such a shame.

A more spacious Hets Jeonpo Branch near Jeonpo Station

Hets Jeonpo Branch is about a four-minute walk from Exit 7 of Jeonpo Station. The distinctive mood of the Gwangalli flagship is completely intact, but the dining room is bigger, so you can eat comfortably without feeling cramped❗️ That was my favorite part.

On one side of the restaurant, a thoughtful notice says that veterans, police officers, firefighters, military personnel, high school seniors taking the college entrance exam, and pregnant customers can receive one complimentary curry, karaage (Japanese fried chicken), or drink.

Hets Jeonpo Branch menu and order

For the main tonkatsu menu, you can choose YBD or Jeju black pork, then pick from premium loin, loin, or hire katsu. I used to get the meat curry side most often, but there are more options now, including karaage, chicken tenderloin, and a piece of hire katsu.

You can get silbi kimchi if you ask for it separately. I recommend dipping your first bite in salt.

The basic sides arrived first: kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi) and tonkatsu sauce.

The table was neatly stocked with fresh wasabi, a whole pepper grinder, truffle oil, and the signature salad dressing, so I could mix sauces to my taste. The limited premium loin katsu had sold out early, sadly, so I ordered Jeju black pork loin katsu, my friend's hire katsu, and a loin katsu sandwich as a side.

The texture of Jeju black pork loin and hire katsu

Rice and soup came first. Unlike ordinary miso soup, this one was pleasantly spicy and peppery, perfect for cutting through the richness of the tonkatsu.

Hets' katsu always felt less greasy, and I guess it tastes even better because they drain off the oil like this every time 🤤

Can you see that glossy, satisfyingly thick cross-section of the loin katsu?

I love tonkatsu, and Hets' loin katsu was seriously, ridiculously good. The oil was thoroughly drained, so the coating stayed crisp rather than soggy, and the fat was in just the right proportion, melting into a nutty richness in my mouth,, 🤤 The premium loin katsu is even nuttier, so I was sad it was unavailable, but the Jeju black pork loin katsu was more than delicious enough.

My friend's hire katsu had that bright rosy look and held all its juices inside; the moment I bit into it, the unbelievably tender texture wrapped around my tongue,, Was it more delicious that day because I stole a piece? 😭 I wanted to steal it all, but I held back. The tenderness was crazy..

The loin katsu sandwich had Hets' special sauce on shokupan (Japanese milk bread), without overwhelming the pork flavor. The katsu itself was tender, and the bread was seriously moist, making it a filling side.

Corn consommé-style dressing salad

Honestly, Hets' cabbage salad is… the corn consommé-style dressing here is absolutely crazy—in the best way. You have to go just for this, haha. The nutty corn flavor was so good that I finished a whole serving before even getting to the tonkatsu, haha.. Three salad refills is the baseline.

And the salad-and-katsu combination was really good too,,,

When you pay and leave, they also give you a low-sugar? sugar-free dessert candy. It was tasty,, cola-flavored 🧡