Sweet potato cheese tonkatsu to go in Bulgwang: Insaeng Donkatsu

What is Insaeng Donkatsu Bulgwang branch near Bulgwang Station?

Insaeng Donkatsu Bulgwang branch (인생돈카츠 불광본점) is a tonkatsu lunchbox shop near Bulgwang Station. On days when I can't be bothered to cook, or when I'm coming home late, I look for takeout on the way. This time I stopped by to get a hearty dinner for my son.

It's so convenient to have a meal ready without cooking anything at home. It's also a good place to stop by if you're looking for somewhere to eat around Bulgwang Station and NC Department Store.

• Address: 12-10 Tongil-ro 65-gil, Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul
• Hours: daily 10:00–22:00
• Amenities: takeout, reservations, Wi-Fi, delivery, group seating, highchairs
• Parking: not available (use the NC Department Store lot, first 30 minutes free)

Eating in is nice too, but this is also the place I think of when I want to take tonkatsu home and eat in comfort. It works well as a stop to pick up takeout after shopping at NC Department Store, almost like a must-do.

The kitchen is open, so you can see everything from making the cutlets to cooking them, which makes me trust the place. It's also a Good Price Shop (착한가격업소, a government-recognized fair-price business), so the more you use it, the more you benefit.

I also really like the owner's life philosophy, the "Insaeng Donkatsu 7 Principles," so I come here often. This time I used it for takeout for my son's dinner.

There are also plenty of chairs for waiting after you place a takeout order.

Can you buy ready-to-cook tonkatsu from the display case?

The display case at Insaeng Donkatsu holds a variety of uncooked cutlets, and many people buy them to cook at home. You can also choose your sauce by spice level, which I like. My son went with the spicy sauce this time.

The cutlets are varied and tasty, but the hamburger steak (hambak) is also really good, like on the poster below.

There are even more kinds of hamburger steak now.

How to order at Insaeng Donkatsu Bulgwang branch

You check the menu and order at the kiosk inside the shop. The kiosk screen is split into dine-in and takeout, which is handy.

And if the kiosk is hard to use, you can of course order directly at the counter.

Takeout order for my son's dinner, with prices

• Sweet potato cheese lunchbox ₩10,500
• Scored loin cutlet (single) ₩4,500
• 200 Cheese cutlet (single) ₩6,500
• Gabri whole loin cutlet (single) ₩7,500
• Potato bites (15 pcs) ₩3,000
• Total ₩32,000

Is Insaeng Donkatsu Bulgwang branch good for eating alone?

The shop is quite spacious, with dining areas on the 2nd and 3rd floors. I think it's ideal for single-person households looking for a solo meal or a quick, easy bite.

While waiting for my order, I went up to the 2nd floor for a moment and saw a solo diner there. It's quiet enough for a group meal too, but for eating alone it's about as good as it gets.

It does a lot of takeout and delivery, but it's also convenient to come alone and eat cutlet with rice and side dishes all at once. Rice and side dish refills are available too.

If you're looking for somewhere to eat near Eunpyeong, Bulgwang Station or NC Department Store, it's worth remembering. It's a place I'd want to return to on a day I'm craving a hearty tonkatsu meal.

Injeong Store receipt review event

The shop displays information about "Injeong Store" (인정가게), a win-win project where customers' participation and support help small business owners grow and give back to the community. They say that one person is drawn each month from receipt reviews to receive ₩300,000, and as someone who writes reviews anyway, that event is very tempting... haha

How was the sweet potato cheese lunchbox at home?

Instead of eating it in the shop, I took the sweet potato cheese lunchbox home and gave it to my son for dinner. The container had everything neatly divided into compartments, so it was easy to eat.

It came with cutlet, rice, salad, side dishes and sauce, so the meal felt complete. All you have to do is unwrap it when you get home, which is a relief even for a late dinner.

The crispy cutlet is cut into bite-size pieces so it's easy to eat, and with the rice it's filling even as a meal for an adult man. And look, they poked holes in the lid to keep the cutlet crispy. Such a thoughtful touch!!

The salad cuts the richness, and the tangy side dish refreshes your palate between bites.

I also liked that the sauce comes along so you can add it to taste. One note: my son never eats the soup that comes with lunchboxes, so I left it out when ordering.

You can pick other dishes besides the sweet potato cheese cutlet, so it's also good for families ordering to suit each person's taste. For anyone in Eunpyeong looking for tonkatsu, Insaeng Donkatsu is a great option to take home.

It's especially handy on days when you want a hearty meal of real handmade tonkatsu but have no time to cook. Side dishes are included, so there's nothing else to prepare, and it was a satisfying stand-in for my son's dinner.

Can you freeze single tonkatsu cutlets and reheat them later?

The scored loin, 200 Cheese and gabri whole loin singles I added this time went into the freezer, so he can eat them next time he's eating alone at home.

Heat them in the microwave or air fryer and that's another meal sorted. For a slacker housewife like me, it's a total thumbs-up... haha