Two half-and-half tonkatsu plates with shrimp fry in Gangdong: Riae

Riae Premium Olympic Park Branch: loin or tenderloin?

Looking for tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet) near Olympic Park, I landed on Riae Premium Olympic Park Branch. I ordered two half-and-half combos: premium special loin (deungsim) + tenderloin (hire) for ₩22,000, and premium special loin + shrimp fry (2 pieces) for ₩23,000.

Even on days when all you want is tonkatsu, there's still that happy dilemma — loin or tenderloin? Haha. Since I couldn't bear picking just one, this time I went with the half-and-half at Riae Premium Olympic Park Branch and enjoyed both to the fullest~

I went looking for good tonkatsu near Olympic Park, and while the thick cutlets were delicious, the shrimp fry unexpectedly nailed my taste completely!!!

Entrance, free parking and opening hours

Riae Premium Olympic Park Branch has two entrances, so feel free to come in through whichever is closer. One seems to be the front door, the other the back door^^ We parked near the back door~

• Location: 46 Seongnae-ro 18-gil, 1st floor, Unit 1-1, Gangdong-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Hours: Daily 11:00 AM–8:00 PM (break time 3:00–4:00 PM)
• Parking: Free parking available

For waitlisting, just use Catch Table^^

Inside Riae Premium: solo seats and group tables

The restaurant is clean, with seats good for eating alone as well as tables good for eating in groups, so it's an easy lunch spot without any pressure. Most people were there with coworkers, with family, with friends, or dining solo~

While waiting for our order, I read Riae's 'cooking philosophy' sign and it made me even more curious about the taste of the tonkatsu^^ You order via the T-Kiosk (table order tablet)!

What is on the menu at Riae Premium Olympic Park Branch?

What we ordered and what it cost

• Premium special loin (deungsim) + tenderloin (hire): ₩22,000
• Premium special loin (deungsim) + shrimp fry (2 pcs): ₩23,000

The special loin + tenderloin plate, with side dishes and soybean paste soup

Our order arrived: premium special loin + tenderloin, and premium special loin + shrimp fry^^

This is the premium special loin (pork loin) and hirekasu (breaded tenderloin) combo^^ It came as one set, and the cutlets were noticeably thick from the moment I saw them, which really built up the anticipation~

The side dishes were generous too, making the whole spread look really impressive^^

The hearty cabbage salad was tasty too^^

The rice and the soybean paste soup loaded with meat were sooo good haha

How the premium special loin (deungsim) tastes

I tried the special loin first — inside the crispy breading was a savory meaty aroma, and the fat and lean meat blended together for a juicy bite^^ It was also fun switching between salt, wasabi, and various sauces a little at a time, trying to find the best combination, and before I knew it the loin was gone!

How the hirekatsu (tenderloin) tastes

The hirekasu had a totally different charm! Even though it's a thick cut of tenderloin, it had almost none of that dry texture and was so tender to chew that my hand kept reaching for more^^ I dipped it lightly in salt to enjoy the meat's flavor, then tried it with wasabi, then with tonkatsu sauce, and it was fun how the same cutlet kept tasting different haha. If you really want to enjoy tonkatsu properly~ for anyone who can't choose just one cut, this combo is exactly the answer!!!

The unexpected star: plump shrimp fry

The other dish we ordered was the premium special loin combined with shrimp fry (2 pieces)^^ Honestly, up until we ordered, I assumed the tonkatsu would be the main event and the shrimp fry would just be a side. But the moment I bit into the shrimp fry, my mind changed completely haha.

The breading was crispy and the shrimp inside was plump with a springy texture still intact, which made for really satisfying bites!!! Especially with the thick shrimp meat giving off a subtle sweetness, I ended up finishing one piece in no time~ Taking a bite of tonkatsu, then a bite of shrimp fry, let me alternate between meat and shrimp so I never got tired of either bite^^

Shrimp fry, good~~~

is the kind of thing that just came out of my mouth — that's how memorable it was~

How to order at Riae Premium without regrets

What stood out most about Riae Premium Olympic Park Branch was how neatly the whole set came out, plus the variety of sauces made mixing and matching according to your taste really fun^^ If you want to try both loin and tenderloin, or if you also love crispy shrimp fry, follow what we ordered and you'll eat really well haha.

Next time I visit, I'll definitely order the shrimp fry again~ I went for tonkatsu but ended up remembering the shrimp fry just as much — a truly memorable meal!!!