Ilsan tonkatsu lunch at a window seat: assorted katsu set, Kitsuki

What is Kitsuki Ilsan Bamridan-gil Branch like?

Kitsuki Ilsan Bamridan-gil Branch is a tonkatsu (Japanese-style pork cutlet) restaurant on Bamridan-gil, off Sandu-ro in Ilsan-donggu, Goyang. I was out in Ilsan on an errand, so I made it a lunch date with my second kid. It's been a while since I came out to Ilsan~ I didn't realize it when I lived here, but now that I've moved away, Bamridan-gil is the hot spot! It feels so different from when I just thought of it as a neighborhood full of eating streets.

Oh, and Kitsuki is listed as dog-friendly. Dog people, take note!

• Hours: daily 11:30 - 21:00
• Parking: not available! (see below)
• Payment: Goyang Pay / Face Sign (Naver) accepted

How do you find Kitsuki and where do you park?

The sign at Kitsuki is really natural-looking, so look carefully. Ta-da! I used the navigation but still thought, where is it? The bungeoppang (fish-shaped pastry) vendor next door told me!

The listing said no parking, so I was like, huh? I know this area~ You can just park on the street, and the bungeoppang vendor told me that too. I think you'll have to sort out parking on your own~

Oh~ the menu board standing at the entrance is natural-looking too~ It has descriptions and tells you how to eat each thing for the best taste, so you can leave even fuller of flavor~ (But I forgot all of that and just ate, haha)

Is there a wait at Kitsuki?

If there's a wait at Kitsuki, you leave your name at the entrance. Luckily I went at a late lunch hour and got in right away~ (But a line formed again while we were eating. Definitely a popular spot!)

There were lots of people even though it was an early lunch~ They say it's a Bamridan-gil hotspot, and yep! Still, I'm grateful we got to eat without waiting~

We got lucky and sat by the window, watching the outside and healing up~ A tasty lunch of tonkatsu at a Bamridan-gil favorite ^^

Water, cutlery, cups, utensils and even sauces are all at the self-serve corner, so help yourself if you need any!

What did we order at Kitsuki, and for how much?

You order by kiosk at Kitsuki, and there was a notice, so I read through it~ My kid and I debated what to eat, then ordered the assorted katsu and perilla cream udon set plus the sangloin katsu. The sangloin katsu is limited, one per table, so we got one too~

After a wait, the food arrived, ta-da! The table was full. I thought the portions might be small, but absolutely not~ never!

• Assorted katsu + perilla cream udon set ₩35,500
• Sangloin katsu ₩16,000

What's in Kitsuki's assorted katsu, and how does it taste?

Kitsuki's assorted katsu is a three-piece set of loin, fillet and shrimp~

Maybe because it came out freshly fried, you could see how crispy it was just by looking. I guess this is why you have to come in person~ I always get delivery, so coming here was great!

Jeotgal (salted fermented seafood) at a tonkatsu place, so fresh~ Salt, jeotgal and kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi) come together. If you saw the how-to-eat guide at the entrance, you'll know why they're there!

Can you get refills of rice and soup?

At Kitsuki, just ask if you need more rice or soup and they'll refill it! But they already give plenty, so it was enough. Wow, look how sticky the rice is~ If a place really cares about rice, it uses good rice, and then it's glossy and tastes like honey~ I'm telling you!

Hirekatsu (fillet)

The hirekatsu in the assorted katsu is Jirisan Berkshire K black pork fillet~ Crispy outside, juicy inside, so tender it melts in your mouth~ A shame only two pieces come out, though~

Rosukatsu (loin)

The rosukatsu is also Jirisan Berkshire K black pork, loin this time! Oven-rested, so crispy outside and juicy inside, and it made me wonder how loin can be this tender~ It's plump yet soft, so even people who don't usually eat loin can enjoy it~

Ebi fry (shrimp)

Ebi fry is a plump shrimp in crispy breadcrumbs, bam! Different from ordinary fried shrimp~ Crunch itself! I'd definitely recommend it as a side to eat together~

When should you go to get Kitsuki's sangloin katsu?

Kitsuki's sangloin katsu is said to be orderable only once per table, and only 100 a day. It's first come, first served, so if you want to try it, definitely go early!

Loin isn't all the same loin! The sangloin katsu has gabrisal (the chewy cut attached to the loin) on it, so it's chewier and tastier~

Tonkatsu is good on its own, but it's even better with sauce and cabbage~ I always eat it with a fresh salad. It cuts the greasiness too, so good!

What does Kitsuki's perilla cream udon taste like?

Kitsuki's perilla cream udon is udon in thick cream with perilla oil and perilla seed powder added. Honestly I ordered it out of curiosity about the flavor. Would perilla and cream go together~

Cream udon sprinkled with perilla powder, and it looks thick just by sight~ Thick cream, chewy udon noodles, plus perilla oil and powder make it nuttily good! It has a quiet charm~ The well-sautéed mushrooms are chewy and tasty too, an unexpected combination but delicious.

A Ilsan lunch date with my second kid after a long time, a happy meal that left us full~ We probably ate a lot for two ^^ But if it's tasty, it's zero calories!! Comforting myself with that, I left happy~