Sangam-dong tonkatsu in Seoul: tenderloin and mixed katsu at Kitto

Hi, this is Sumin!

I had somewhere to be around Sangam that day, and while looking for what to eat, I got a craving for tonkatsu (Japanese pork cutlet) — so I went to Kitto in Sangam-dong. I found it while searching for good tonkatsu spots in Sangam-dong, and since I really wanted proper tonkatsu that day, I decided on this place right away.

What is Kitto, the tonkatsu specialist in Sangam DMC, like?

Kitto is located near Sangam DMC, so it's a good spot to grab a meal if you work nearby or have plans in the area. Stepping inside, the vibe was overall clean and tidy, and it really felt like a proper tonkatsu specialty restaurant. I visited with a friend that day and we each ordered a different menu item.

The atmosphere in the restaurant was so good, and it had that feel of a newly opened hotspot. It tasted similar to tonkatsu I've had in Japan. No need to go to Japan!

The interior of the restaurant is really pretty and the music was great too. You could tell they put thought into every detail, even up to the ceiling, so it made for a lovely meal.

The tableware was cute too and I liked the furniture. It's a newly opened restaurant that feels like it's going to do really well, so go visit before it gets crowded! I was so busy eating that I forgot to try the ochazuke (tea-poured rice), but I'm definitely having it next time.

How does Kitto tell you to eat its tonkatsu?

At first, you're supposed to eat it without dipping into the sauce, and staff kindly explained how to eat it, so you can always enjoy it comfortably at your own pace.

I visited Kitto while looking for good tonkatsu spots in Sangam-dong, and I left having had a satisfying, filling meal. It seems like a good place to come back to whenever you're craving tonkatsu near Sangam DMC. Next time I'd like to try other katsu menu items too.

How does Kitto's special tenderloin katsu taste?

What we ordered was the special sirloin katsu and the mixed katsu! Since we wanted to try a variety of things between the two of us, we each ordered one, and the combination turned out to be pretty good. Starting with the special sirloin katsu!

You could tell right away the meat was thick, so the visual was pretty appetizing from the moment it arrived. With tonkatsu, if the breading is too thick it can feel a bit heavy after a while, but with this one, the crispy texture was what I noticed first.

Being sirloin, the special sirloin katsu was tender as expected, which I liked. After one bite I thought, ah, this is why people eat sirloin katsu. The outside was crispy while the meat inside was moist, and the contrast in texture was pretty fun.

When I eat tonkatsu, I tend to try the meat itself first rather than dunking it in sauce right away. I did the same with the special sirloin katsu, eating it without sauce at first. Then when I dipped it lightly in the sauce, it felt different again, so I ended up going back and forth between the two.

Is Kitto's mixed katsu good for two people to share?

For anyone searching for good tonkatsu in Sangam-dong who likes a soft, tender sirloin, the special sirloin katsu should be a good fit. And then there's the mixed katsu we ordered alongside it! What I liked about the mixed katsu is that you can try several kinds of katsu at once.

If you're visiting with someone, I'd recommend each ordering a different menu item and sharing! If we'd only had the special sirloin katsu, I think I would have kept wondering about the mixed katsu, but ordering both meant we could each pick out what we wanted.

Even with the same tonkatsu, the texture does differ a bit depending on the cut, so it was fun comparing them as we ate. Personally, out of everything we had that day, I liked the special sirloin katsu more. I tend to prefer soft meat, so the moist texture of the sirloin was more my taste, haha.

Whether you're someone who loves tender sirloin like the special sirloin katsu, or someone who wants to try several kinds at once, it was easy to pick a menu that fits your taste. Above all, if you're visiting with someone, I'd recommend ordering one special sirloin katsu and one mixed katsu to share, like we did! It was nice being able to try a variety instead of sticking to just one dish.

The lemon sherbet we finished with was tasty too. Next time I want to make sure I order a sirloin katsu, a top loin katsu, curry, and not forget the ochazuke. This is honestly my number one favorite restaurant I've been to recently, haha.