Hwaseong pork cutlet and jjamppong lunch: Insaeng Donkatsu

Now that the twins have started going to daycare, my husband and I have had some time to eat together lately. On this day too, we dropped them off at daycare and went out for lunch, just the two of us. While wondering what to eat, I suddenly thought of the pork cutlet place we had visited before. The crispy, thick cutlet we had last time had really stayed with me, so we revisited Insaeng Donkatsu Dongtan Mokdong Branch (인생돈가스 동탄목동점) '-'.

Inside Insaeng Donkatsu Dongtan Mokdong Branch

Insaeng Donkatsu Dongtan Mokdong Branch serves a range of dishes with pork cutlets as its main focus.

When we went inside, the overall atmosphere was clean and comfortable. The tables were spaced generously, so it looked good not only for a visit as a pair but also for eating with a larger group.

More than anything, it felt neatly organized overall rather than overly busy or cramped like some pork cutlet restaurants, which made it a comfortable place for a meal.

Self-service bar and takeaway bags

There is a self-service bar on one side of the restaurant. Spoons, forks, and knives are available, so you can pick up any utensils you need. There are also takeaway bags at the self-service bar! Sometimes portions turn out to be bigger than expected and you have leftovers, so it was convenient that they had bags ready for you to pack food up and take it home whenever needed, without having to ask a staff member.

When visiting with children

If you are visiting with children, it is worth noting that high chairs are available. I came with the twins last time too, and having high chairs meant I could seat them and eat a little more comfortably.

For its second anniversary, they were running a daily discount event from Monday through Thursday. The discounted dish changes by day, so it would be a good idea to check that day's special before you visit.

The wasabi pork cutlet and red jjamppong we ordered

• Wasabi cream cheese pork cutlet ₩13,900
• Insaeng red jjamppong ₩12,000

Wasabi cream cheese pork cutlet

I enjoyed it so much last time that I ordered it again!

As soon as the pork cutlet arrived, the first thing that caught my eye was, of course, its thick cut. That thickness was one of the reasons I came back here. The coating was fried crisp and the meat inside was thick, so it had a really nice texture in each bite.

The wasabi pork cutlet tastes a little more distinctive than regular pork cutlet. The signature sharp, aromatic flavor of wasabi joins the nutty, crispy cutlet, which helps cut through the richness.

It was not so strong that it made your nose tingle; rather, it added flavor when eaten with the cutlet. If you usually like wasabi, I think this would be a good choice instead of a standard pork cutlet.

Insaeng red jjamppong to share with the cutlet

Ordering jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup) at a pork cutlet restaurant might seem a little unexpected, but since my husband and I were visiting together that day, we decided to share one pork cutlet and one noodle dish.

When the red-broth jjamppong arrived, it looked quite appetizing next to the pork cutlet. The cutlet was crispy and nutty, while the red jjamppong had a hot, spicy broth!

Just looking at the red broth made the jjamppong seem warming and spicy. After a piece of cutlet, a sip of the jjamppong broth made my mouth, which had been full of crisp, nutty flavor, feel refreshed thanks to the spicy broth! We naturally ended up alternating between the cutlet and jjamppong, haha.

A pork cutlet and noodle pairing

The reliably good wasabi pork cutlet had that sharp wasabi note, making it feel a little cleaner than regular pork cutlet. Ordering the red jjamppong too made the cutlet's nutty richness and the jjamppong's spicy warmth go so well together that it was great for two people to share. Personally, I recommend the pork cutlet-plus-noodles combination!

It had been a while since my husband and I had eaten lunch alone, and beyond the food being delicious, just being able to eat slowly made it an unexpectedly happy day, haha.