Sadang-dong udon and tonkatsu restaurant, three dishes for two: Kosi

I found this place while searching for a good udon spot. I visited with help from Superchart.

What Kosi Isu Branch looks like at dinner time

I went in right before the dinner rush. At first there were plenty of seats open. But by the time our food arrived, the place was completely full. o0o

It really does seem like a proper hotspot. Among the tonkatsu places that come up when you search for Isu Station restaurants, this one seemed to turn tables pretty fast.

Inside there are window seats and also seats that are partitioned off for privacy, which I liked. It seemed comfortable whether you come alone or as a couple.

Kosi Isu Branch hours, break time and parking

• Name: Kosi Isu Branch
• Address: 300 Sadang-ro, 1st floor units 126, 127, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Hours: Daily 11:20–21:00
• Break time: 15:20–17:00
• Last order: 14:50 (before break time) / 20:30 (before closing)
• Parking: Building parking lot, 1 hour free with registration

The parking lot is spacious, so it's easy to come by car. Register your car for 1 hour of free parking. There's a break time, so avoid going between 3 and 5 pm.

What to know before ordering at Kosi Isu Branch

Check the menu in the photos and video. For reference, there are order options — you can order à la carte, add 4,000 won for a set with tempura, or add 5,000 won for one with tonkatsu.

Here's the important part: the tonkatsu you get with the add-on isn't small. It's not some tiny side-dish-sized piece.

And let me warn you about our mistake in advance. We thought the udon portions would be small, so we ordered three dishes. Huge mistake. We got the toriten bukkake udon (11,000 won), cheese katsu (12,500 won), and karaage rice bowl (10,500 won).

Yeah, three dishes for two people was too much. Don't do what I did.

Toriten bukkake udon, 11,000 won: the bowl says it all

This was the toriten bukkake udon I was most looking forward to. In the photo the udon might look small, but it's not — the bowl itself is genuinely huge.

The noodle portion is about 1.5 times that of a typical udon place. At first glance I thought, "huh, is it smaller than I expected?" but once I started eating, it never seemed to end.

You just pour the sauce that comes alongside straight over it.

The noodles are really thick and long. The chewy texture is spot on.

Hahahaha, look at the length of the noodle as my boyfriend lifts it up. It just doesn't break.

The toriten (fried chicken tempura) was amazing too. I bit into it and the inside was pink, which startled me for a second — but it's not undercooked, it's just fried moist enough to look that way. Super tender and delicious.

And the inari sushi (fried tofu pocket rice) that came with it — solid, no complaints!

Karaage donburi, 10,500 won: his favourite dish here

Next up is the karaage rice bowl (10,500 won) at Kosi Isu Branch. My boyfriend is a karaage lover, so we ordered this.

He said it's the best karaage rice bowl he's ever had. That's high praise — he's the type who usually just says "it's good" and moves on, but this time he was firm about it.

Mix it all up like this, then one big spoonful — yum!

Cheese katsu, 12,500 won: the safe choice that always works

Next is the cheese tonkatsu (12,500 won). A dish that never fails.

It's packed with cheese. They clearly didn't skimp on the cheese here.

Eating it together with the udon was so good. Hot broth plus crispy tonkatsu — that combo never lets you down. If you searched for Isu Station tonkatsu and ended up here, definitely order this one.

But honestly, the portions are just so much that I found myself wishing cheese tonkatsu could be added as a side too. There's already a 5,000-won tonkatsu add-on option for the udon, so a cheese tonkatsu version would be perfect.

Would I go back to Kosi Isu Branch?

Kosi was so good. I wish it were right by my house! If you're searching for Sadang-dong restaurants or building your list of Isu restaurants, make sure to add this one.

Oh, and let me say it again: don't order three dishes for two people. Two is plenty. Really.

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