Gyukatsu grilled tableside at Izawa, a Nam-gu, Ulsan restaurant

Today I wanted a Japanese-style meal in Samsan-dong, so I visited Izawa Ulsan The Terrace Garden branch.

Parking and location - 2nd floor of The Terrace Garden

After parking in the underground lot near The Terrace Garden, you just take the elevator up to the 2nd floor.

The elevator sign says parking is ₩500 per 10 minutes, which worried me at first. But when I paid for my meal at Izawa and registered my parking number, I got 2 hours free parking.

Izawa Ulsan The Terrace Garden branch Address: 231 Samsan-ro, Nam-gu, Ulsan, South Korea Hours: Daily 11:00-21:00, last order 20:25 Parking available, Zero Pay accepted

It's located between Hyundai Department Store and NC Outlet, near MH Convention Ulsan City Hotel, so it was easy to find.

Get off the elevator on the 2nd floor and walk straight ahead — Izawa's storefront comes into view.

What's the vibe like inside?

Even before entering, the Japanese-style wall decorations by the entrance caught my eye. I could already sense a fun atmosphere before stepping in.

"Fortune comes to a smiling door. Today I'll smile all day long, and then good fortune will come to me."

The cute cat looked like it was saying, "I liked it, I liked it, leave it all to me!!"

The Japanese-style interior in particular blends tatami flooring, kimono, and lanterns, giving the feel of stepping into a small Japanese eatery. There were also waiting chairs for anyone lining up.

At the entrance, a sign introduced it as a restaurant for solo diners along with the signature menu.

Seating for both solo diners and family meals

The inside of the restaurant was clean and cozy overall.

The staff were friendly, so I could eat comfortably, and there was a table that seats 6, which looked good for small gatherings or family meals.

There were counter seats good for eating alone, plus baby chairs, so it felt like a place suited to everything from solo dining to family outings.

What we ordered and the mini brazier

Looking at the menu, there were various Japanese dishes on offer besides set combos, including the gyukatsu set, gyukatsu curry set, steak set, and steak rice bowl. We ordered the gyukatsu set, gyukatsu curry set, and steak set to try a variety.

After ordering, a personal mini brazier was set up for each of us on the table. Solid fuel is placed inside and lit, and being able to grill the meat to your own preferred doneness was the fun, distinctive feature of Izawa.

Gyukatsu set - crispy outside, juicy inside

The gyukatsu set came out first, with gyukatsu (breaded beef cutlet), miso soup, cabbage salad, rice, and diced radish kimchi.

I read through the instructions on how to enjoy Izawa's gyukatsu properly.

The gyukatsu comes out only lightly fried on the outside, so you place it on the mini brazier and grill it briefly on both sides. I liked being able to adjust the doneness to taste — I went with medium rare. With a touch of wasabi and a dip in the sauce, wow!!! Crispy outside, juicy inside, and with every bite the beef's juices burst out — the flavor was really something, two thumbs up. Eating it with the cabbage salad cleansed the palate and made the savory gyukatsu flavor even more enjoyable.

Steak set - my favorite dish

Personally, my favorite dish was the steak set. It comes out as beef lightly seared on the outside, without any breading, so you finish grilling it yourself on the brazier.

Unlike gyukatsu, which you enjoy for its savory, crispy fried coating, this dish shines with the clean, natural beefy aroma and juices that spread with every bite — the steak set is the best, the best!!!

Topped with the accompanying soy-based sauce or a bit of wasabi, you can enjoy it cleanly and lightly without any greasiness.

Gyukatsu curry set - how is Japanese curry different?

This is the gyukatsu set served with curry. The curry's fragrance made me want to dig in right away.

Japanese curry was a bit different from Korean curry — a rich layer of sweetness, savoriness, and deep umami, with a bit of a spicy kick.

The crispy coating soaked up the curry sauce and turned moist, while the beef's own chewy texture paired well with it, making the savoriness feel even more pronounced. Being able to mix the curry sauce with the rice made for a hearty, satisfying finish.

Wrap-up

Izawa, the Japanese restaurant I visited today, was a good spot both for eating alone and for visiting with family or friends. In particular, grilling the gyukatsu and steak yourself on the brazier was fun, and the crispy-outside, juicy-inside flavor was satisfying. If you're craving Japanese food in Samsan and want to try crispy gyukatsu alongside clean, light steak, Izawa Ulsan The Terrace Garden branch is worth a visit as a good restaurant in Nam-gu, Ulsan.