Gwanak beef cutlet restaurant for steak and draft beer: Izawa

Looking for gyukatsu in Sharosugil

I had such a craving for gyukatsu that I was looking up good places in Sharosugil and ended up visiting Izawa Sharosugil Branch! I’d been searching for a place with delicious gyukatsu lately, and this spot in Sharosugil looked promising, so I went straight in.

It wasn’t difficult to find, and when I arrived, there was a generously sized waiting area by the entrance, so it looked like waiting would be comfortable too. Above all, the whole place felt neatly maintained, which made for a great first impression!

A spacious, cool dining atmosphere

Once inside, the restaurant was roomier than I expected, with decent space between tables, so it didn’t feel cramped at all. Even with a fair number of people there, it felt comfortable rather than crowded, making it easy to enjoy a relaxed meal. I visited on a hot summer day, and the air conditioning was wonderfully cool—the comfortable indoor temperature made me feel revived the moment I walked in, haha.

The staff were so kind that I felt good throughout the meal. In particular, the flame on our table kept going out because of the air-conditioning breeze, but the owner checked on it personally from time to time and relit it for us. It was impressive that they paid attention even to little details like that. I was happy with everything, from the food to the atmosphere and service.

That made me think it would be a nice date spot, as well as a good place for a simple, tasty meal in Sharosugil. The clean, comfortable atmosphere seems welcoming for anyone, regardless of age or gender.

A varied menu, from gyukatsu to sets

The menu was more varied than I expected. There was a kiosk in the restaurant, so I looked through each item: alongside their signature gyukatsu, there were two-person sets and sets for two to three people, as well as noodles, rice bowls, and more. A set would be a good choice for a larger group, but it also looked easy for everyone to pick exactly what they wanted.

The gyukatsu (Japanese-style breaded beef cutlet) choices included a cutlet set, a steki set, and gyukatsu curry. Since I had come for gyukatsu, I ordered with that as the focus, but I also tried the steki and would personally recommend both.

How was the gyukatsu and draft beer pairing?

And the one thing I really want to recommend alongside it is draft beer! It was such a hot summer day, and ordering a cold glass of draft beer with the meal was honestly so nice. Taking a sip of cold draft beer in the heat and then eating warm, delicious gyukatsu was an excellent combination. Meat dishes and draft beer really are a pairing that never fails. If you’re planning to have gyukatsu, I recommend ordering draft beer too.

Tender gyukatsu grilled at the table

At last, the gyukatsu I’d been waiting for arrived, and it looked delicious from the start. The outside was crisp, while the meat inside was tender and seemed full of juices. I find gyukatsu a little disappointing when the meat is tough, but I loved how genuinely tender it was here. Every bite was juicy and let the flavor of the beef come through, so I really enjoyed it.

The great thing about gyukatsu is being able to grill it yourself to your preferred doneness. Grilling it a little at a time meant I could eat it warm all the way to the last bite. Personally, I found it most delicious when the outside was crisp and the inside stayed moist. I think anyone who loves meat would be happy with this dish.

Sharing steki too

The steki (Japanese-style steak) we ordered alongside it was also very satisfying. The meat was really tender as well, with hardly any chewiness, so it was easy to eat. It has a different charm from the gyukatsu, so I recommend ordering both and sharing. If you visit with someone, it would be nice to order one gyukatsu and one steki, then compare them as you eat. I enjoyed both, so if you can’t decide which to choose, I’d recommend getting both.

A clean interior, right down to the restroom

The food was tasty overall, but I also liked how clean and comfortable the restaurant itself was. In particular, the restroom was inside the restaurant and was kept very clean. Cleanliness in the dining room and restroom matters when I visit a restaurant, so I was even more satisfied that those details were well looked after.

I went to Izawa Sharosugil Branch because I wanted gyukatsu in Sharosugil, and the whole meal was satisfying—from the food and restaurant atmosphere to the kindness of the staff. The gyukatsu was delicious, with tender, juicy meat, and the steki we had alongside it was tender too, so I’d recommend both. Plus, there was that cold draft beer!