Seongsu Japanese restaurant: tenderloin vs striploin katsu, Gyuen Dang

This is Gyuen Dang Seongsu Main Branch (규엔당 성수본점), located in Seongsu-dong.

Making up for the beef katsu I missed in Fukuoka, in Seongsu

I recently went to Fukuoka. I had been waiting for Motomura, but the timing got awkward and I had to leave without eating—it was such a shame ( ´•ᴗ•ก)՞ ՞ So, to soothe that disappointment while I was at it, I visited Gyuen Dang, known as a good Seongsu spot for beef katsu. Looking over the menu, I was already excited before ordering because it had such a wide range of proper Japanese dishes, from Hamburg omelet rice to tsukune (chicken meatball) rice bowls ♡̷̷

Seating and atmosphere at Gyuen Dang Seongsu Main Branch

There are counter seats, two-person tables, and four-person tables, split between two sections by a wall. The interior was compact, but the tables were not packed tightly together, so I could eat comfortably without worrying about the people around me. The Japanese-inspired details in the décor stood out too. From wallpaper with Japanese writing to framed pictures of brazier grilling, it felt like a space that had been thoughtfully styled with Gyuen Dang’s own atmosphere ದ್ದಿ(☆⸝⸝ʚ̴̶̷̆ ᴗ ʚ̴̶̷̆⸝⸝).｡.:*

Choose your own doneness on a mini brazier

Every table comes with its own mini brazier. You grill the meat yourself to your preferred doneness, and our food arrived after about 15 minutes of waiting.

What comes with the tenderloin beef katsu set

Tenderloin beef katsu, ₩24,000. The tenderloin beef katsu set comes with miso soup, rice, shredded radish, and salad. It also includes wasabi, salt, house sauce, and butter, so you can pair everything to your taste (՞. .՞)ꔫ˖♡

Tenderloin beef katsu grilled in Isigny salted butter

I like beef katsu (gyūkatsu, breaded beef cutlet), so I eat it fairly often, but I think this was my first time at a place that served butter with it. It was Isigny salted butter. I scooped out a little and put it on the brazier. Since the brazier was already hot, the butter melted as soon as I set it down 🧈

With ordinary meat, I usually cook it thoroughly with no pink left, but with beef katsu, I think it tastes best when you grill it only about 20 seconds per side, just enough to lightly cook it. The center needs to stay soft and juicy so you can really enjoy the juices and texture. Grilling the beef katsu in melted butter let its nutty, salty flavor soak into the tenderloin, making it much richer and more savory than grilling it plain.

Maybe because it was tenderloin, the texture was definitely soft. It was so tender, without any toughness or dryness, that it went down after only a few chews ꉂ(ˊฅˋ*) It was delicious on its own, but adding a little wasabi brought a sharp aroma and seemed to leave a cleaner finish.

How did the tenderloin and striploin beef katsu differ?

My companion ordered the striploin beef katsu, so I stole a bite haha. If the tenderloin was simply soft, the striploin had more chew, I’d say? ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) ♡ It was tough when I tried grilling it only briefly like the tenderloin. I gave it more time, and it had such a rich beefy flavor that it was seasoned just right even without sauce. Striploin seems to be Gyuen Dang’s best menu item and the most classic beef katsu cut. Next time, I’m going to try the striploin beef katsu!

Set accompaniments and grill-plate replacement

After focusing so hard on eating beef katsu, it did start to feel a little heavy.. At times like that, eating the salad included in the set clears your palate and brings your appetite back. I was happy with the set because it was not just beef katsu—it also considered the sauces and side dishes that help make a whole meal as delicious as possible. Thanks to that, I could clear every last bit without getting tired of it *.(๓´͈꒳`͈๓).*

As you keep grilling away, bits of meat can stick to the mini brazier or burn. If you keep cooking on it, they could stick to the meat, you knowㅜ If you ask for a grill-plate replacement for a cleaner meal, they immediately switch it for a new one. Even if your brazier gets messy halfway through, it is quickly sorted out ( σ̴̶̷̤ ̫ σ̴̶̷̤ )!

Reserve before a Seongsu date visit

I found this place myself and visited it as part of a Seongsu date course, but even though I arrived at the early dinner hour of around 5:20 p.m., 13 parties were ahead of me •• It is already well known as a place with a wait, so if you are planning a visit, I recommend making a reservation through Naver .ﾟ*♡ꕤ⸜(⸝⸝º ^ º⸝⸝ )⸝ꕤ♡*.ﾟ