Tonkatsu near Suwon Tax Office: hearty lunch for two at Gohobi Katsu

Dining out has gotten so expensive lately that even a single lunch outside can feel like a burden. So this time I found a spot near Suwon Station where you can eat a hearty meal without breaking the bank.

What is Gohobi Katsu, near Suwon Tax Office?

The place I'm introducing today is Gohobi Katsu, near Suwon Tax Office, famous for its incredible value for money. The restaurant itself isn't big — just a small tonkatsu spot near Suwon Station with only bar-counter seating.

That day I ordered two dishes in total — cordon bleu tonkatsu and kimchi cheese nabe tonkatsu. Ooh.

The cute little interior had the restroom key and various dressings and sauces on display. The staff were all friendly, and since it's an open kitchen, I could watch the cooking the whole time.

It felt like I'd been transported to Japan for a moment. It was a hot day outside, but the inside was nice and cool, so it was a good spot to cool off while waiting for the food.

The included side dishes, miso soybean paste soup, and rice were all tasty too. The rice in particular was really moist and glossy.

Kimchi cheese nabe tonkatsu: what does the katsu in broth taste like?

The first dish to arrive at Gohobi Katsu was the kimchi cheese nabe. Even the visual was pretty generous, catching my eye right away.

It comes out with the tonkatsu fully submerged in a spicy kimchi stew made with care.

I piled on the cabbage served on top and dug in. It's a dish where a giant tonkatsu, along with cheese, is submerged in a shallow, rich kimchi stew broth — the broth was deep and spicy, cutting through any greasiness.

I worried that dunking the tonkatsu in the nabe might make it soggy in a disappointing way, but instead the spicy broth soaking into the katsu turned into a whole different kind of charm. Especially with the kimchi in there, the broth had a sharp, refreshing tang.

With the cheese added on top, there was also a nutty richness, making for a flavor that was spicy yet smooth. Cheese dishes these days can get greasy fast, but with the kimchi and spicy broth together, it wasn't heavy at all — much lighter than expected.

It was also good to eat alongside the other dish. Since this one arrived first, it was actually great for comparing against the cordon bleu.

What does the signature cordon bleu tonkatsu taste like?

Next up was Gohobi Katsu's signature dish, the cordon bleu tonkatsu.

Even visually, with melty cheese seeming to ooze out between the crispy-fried tonkatsu, my mouth was watering before I even took a bite — I was pretty excited.

The cordon bleu tonkatsu, freshly fried, was crispy on the outside with stretchy cheese, and moist and soft on the inside.

Apparently, inside the thin pork loin is a house-made pizza katsu mixed with natural mozzarella, gouda cheese, and vegetables. Take one bite and the crispy batter gives way to moist loin and cheese blending together. It had a distinctly nutty flavor, clearly different from a regular loin tonkatsu.

Since there's quite a lot of cheese in this dish, I thought it might be a bit greasy at first — but it turned out to be surprisingly light and nutty, the kind of flavor that keeps you reaching for more. Above all, the spicy flavor of the kimchi cheese nabe paired really well with the nutty flavor of the cordon bleu. One was spicy, the other nutty, and alternating between the two meant I never got tired of either and enjoyed both all the way through.

Two dishes for two people — is the portion enough?

What really surprised me was the portion size. Since the restaurant is small with only bar-counter seating, I honestly assumed the portions would be modest too. But once the food was actually served, it was way more generous than I expected. Even with two people sharing two dishes, the amount was so much that by the time we finished, I genuinely felt like I was about to burst.

With dining-out prices as high as they are these days, a place that lets you eat this generously feels even more welcome. It seems like a solid, filling meal especially for office workers with short lunch breaks. If you work near Suwon Tax Office or are looking for a lunch spot around Suwon Station, this one's worth keeping in mind. If you're looking for a tonkatsu restaurant near Suwon Station that delivers on portion as much as taste, Gohobi Katsu is a must-visit hotspot.