Bulgwang Station tonkatsu, outside food OK upstairs: Insaeng Donkatsu

I suddenly wanted tonkatsu after a long while, so I went to Insaeng Donkatsu Bulgwang branch (인생돈카츠 불광본점), famous as a tonkatsu go-to near Bulgwang Station.

Where is Insaeng Donkatsu Bulgwang branch, and where do you park?

Insaeng Donkatsu Bulgwang branch is near Exit 6 of Bulgwang Station, close to the back gate of NC Department Store, so it's easy to find. There's no dedicated parking lot. There is a paid lot right in front, but I parked in an alley by a very small park nearby. You know you have to find a spot without an orange line, right?

What kind of place is Insaeng Donkatsu?

At Insaeng Donkatsu you can buy raw breaded cutlets (saeng-donkkasu) to cook at home as a side dish, or buy them as ready-made lunchboxes (dosirak) to eat.

They say they prepare the meat by hand every morning, removing the tough membrane and even checking the grain of the meat, putting real care into it.

They also say they use good ingredients: top-grade fresh pork, high-quality rice, HACCP-certified eggs, fresh breadcrumbs and pure soybean oil.

These days a single meal almost always goes over ₩10,000, right? Against that, Insaeng Donkatsu's prices are good, which makes it a nice place for a meal.

The menu has single items, rice bowls, lunchboxes and more, and you order at the kiosk.

Can you eat in on the second floor of Insaeng Donkatsu Bulgwang branch?

Yes! There's a dining area on the second floor, and honestly that second-floor space is the reason I like this place.

The tonkatsu is so good, and you can just take it up and eat right away. If you order to eat in, they bring the food to you. It's great for eating alone, for a date, or for a family meal out. There are window seats too, with soft lighting, and the mood is surprisingly nice.

How far does the outside food policy go?

Outside food is allowed on the second floor of Insaeng Donkatsu Bulgwang branch. It's not just good value, it felt genuinely generous. Soda and beer sold in the shop aren't allowed, but other food and alcohol are, they said. There's a water purifier too.

After eating, it's set up so you can easily tidy up yourself. Maybe because it's kept so neat, the space is clean and pleasant even though it's self-service.

The 3 lunchboxes I ate at Insaeng Donkatsu

This time I had the scored loin lunchbox, the Hug tenderloin lunchbox and the spicy hamburger steak lunchbox. There are so many menu items, but the gabri whole loin lunchbox I originally wanted was sold out, so I picked these.

I like all three, so it's hard to call one my top pick; I just recommend them all. There's also cheese cutlet, sweet potato cheese, menchi-katsu (minced cutlet), garlic hamburger steak, herbal hamburger steak, pollack and more, but honestly you end up ordering what you always eat.

Scored loin vs. Hug tenderloin: is there a difference?

Tenderloin versus loin, so I figured the Hug tenderloin would be much softer, but the scored loin was just as tender. I couldn't tell them apart.

How is the spicy hamburger steak lunchbox?

The spicy hamburger steak (ttaengcho hambak) was hot without being greasy, perfect as a side dish with rice.

The new mini udon set

Insaeng Donkatsu just launched a mini udon, so we had it as a set, and the udon was good too. You can choose cold or hot udon, and since it suddenly got cold lately, we went with hot.

What you get with the receipt review event

At Insaeng Donkatsu Bulgwang branch you get a freebie if you join the receipt review event. I got the salad, and it was quite a big portion!

If you don't want the salad, you can choose a sauce, flavored potatoes or a drink instead, so do join in!

Around Bulgwang Station there are lots of good restaurants and places to visit. There's a food alley too, so if you're on a date or nearby and looking for a tonkatsu place, try Insaeng Donkatsu Bulgwang branch!

• Address: 12-10 Tongil-ro 65-gil, Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul, South Korea, 1st floor (15-39 Daejo-dong)
• Hours: 10:20 - 21:00