Goyang tonkatsu restaurant with perilla cream udon: Kitsuki

It feels like all the best places to eat in Ilsan are gathered along Bamridan-gil. There are so many charming, unique, and pretty cafés and restaurants here, and today I found a life-changing tonkatsu at Kitsuki (키츠키), a Japanese-style pork cutlet spot that’s especially buzzing among younger diners ~

An interior with an unusual layout

The restaurant wasn’t particularly large. Tables in all different sizes were set out irregularly in the compact space, yet somehow it didn’t look cluttered or chaotic—more like character and variety in harmony?

An open kitchen sits directly opposite the entrance, with a long table right in the middle that can accommodate groups. When I visited, couples were sitting there; at first I thought they were one big party, but they were all separate guests haha.

Tables were tucked into every corner, and every piece of furniture and bit of décor was different. Strangely, it all worked together beautifully, giving a glimpse of the owner’s flair.

Not a single gap was left empty: the place was filled with little accessories and objects, making it fun to hunt around and take everything in.

The menu and our order

The menu is handwritten, and the lettering is so cute and pretty 🍃 We were pretty convinced the owner must have studied design ~ ^^

The menu thoughtfully includes little details about each dish and how to enjoy it at its best.

I had already picked out the menu in my head before coming. Reviews were overflowing with praise for the perilla cream udon, so I knew it was essential. The round, utterly delicious-looking hirekatsu was another must-order. It wasn’t shown on this part of the menu, but hirekatsu, roskatsu, perilla cream udon, and mini curry came together for just ₩44,500, so that’s what we ordered. The price is seriously, seriously kind.

A new world of Japanese-style tonkatsu

East meets West: perilla cream udon

The first dish to arrive was the perilla cream udon I’d been anticipating most. First of all, the presentation was so distinctive. Reimagining udon like pasta was refreshing, just as you’d expect from fusion food. And using perilla seeds, a very traditionally Korean ingredient, in Japanese and Western-style cooking felt incredibly creative.

The mushrooms in the cream udon had been lightly grilled beforehand, so their texture was noticeably different when you bit into them. They could have been a bit mushy otherwise... Even this little touch!!

Hirekatsu with genius-level presentation

And then there was Kitsuki’s signature hirekatsu, which simply cannot be left out. Wow~ just look at that tonkatsu color. It passes before you even take a bite.

The meat was incredibly thick and the breading was wonderfully thin. That means you can taste the meat so much more clearly. At some places, the coating is so thick that the meat feels swallowed up by it; here, the meat is clearly saying, “I’m the star.”

Familiar roskatsu

The most familiar option, roskatsu ~ Roskatsu is made with pork loin, and its basic tonkatsu principles—including the breading—are the same as hirekatsu. It is tonkatsu with thin breading that lets the juices and natural flavor of the meat shine!

And this, this right here ~~ It was my first time dipping tonkatsu in salt!! Wow, the salt tasted completely different. The crystals were large, almost hexagonal, and although salty, they had just a slight sweetness ~

My younger companion said this salt is famous at Costco. Apparently, the jars displayed like decorations on the shelf beside me held that very salt. The jar color is so pretty too, and doesn’t arranging several of them make them look more stylish than any ordinary object?

One more moving flavor to introduce!! This is the danmuji (pickled yellow radish) served as a basic side. I’d bet it is 100% house-made!! There was a subtle yuzu flavor in it, unlike any danmuji I’d had from stores.

A restaurant I want to introduce to friends

It is packed into a small space but never feels messy; instead, every accessory gives you something to look at. It may seem casually stacked up, but you can tell every choice was calculated by the owner.

But above all, the food is so delicious!!!! From the basic danmuji to every main dish, each item was made with such care that the quality rivals an upscale Japanese restaurant.... yet the prices are approachable! This is a Bamridan-gil restaurant I really want to tell a close friend to try.