Solo dinner Wed 6pm pork kimchi jjigae pork cutlet set: Cheongdam

Eating alone always means a bit of menu anxiety, doesn't it? Something too fancy feels like a lot, but I don't want to just eat carelessly either... hahaha. This time I went to Cheongdam Kkatsu for a hearty solo dinner.

I've always liked the pork cutlet + kimchi jjigae (kimchi stew) combo, so the moment I saw the pork kimchi jjigae + pork cutlet set on the menu, I picked it without much thought. But what really won me over was the rice with a fried egg on top! 😋

An unexpected soy-egg rice plus kimchi jjigae plus pork cutlet... how could I not eat this 😇 It felt like an unplanned bonus, like getting an extra little gift, haha. If you're looking for a solid solo-dining spot near Gangnam-gu Office Station, this might be worth a look.

Wednesday, 6pm — was there a wait?

I got to Cheongdam Kkatsu around 6pm on a Wednesday. It was still before the main rush of nearby office workers getting off, so there was no wait and I could go straight in. Since it was a bit early for dinner, the restaurant had a fairly relaxed atmosphere too.

Since I was there alone, I naturally checked out the seating and vibe when I walked in, but I didn't feel awkward eating by myself at all. Pork cutlet is a pretty easy dish to eat solo anyway, and with no wait that day, it was nice to eat slowly and leave whenever.

Location and hours

Cheongdam Kkatsu is on the first floor of the SK Hub Blue building, connected to Gangnam-gu Office Station. Even without going through the subway, the building exterior has signage pointing inside to the first floor, so once you find the building entrance, it's right there.

• Mon–Fri 11:00–20:00 (break time 15:00–16:30, last order 19:55)
• Saturday 11:30–19:00 (last order 18:55)

Cheongdam Kkatsu menu and prices — pork kimchi jjigae + pork cutlet, ₩14,000

What I ordered was the set with both pork kimchi jjigae and pork cutlet, priced at ₩14,000. I generally prefer a combo with soup-like sides over eating pork cutlet on its own, so this was an easy choice.

I ordered expecting just cutlet and jjigae together, but when it arrived, the spread was more generous than I expected — and the reason was the rice. I assumed it would be plain rice, but it came with a fried egg sitting right on top. 😂 It was just one extra fried egg, but somehow it made me so happy, hahaha.

How was the thickness and texture of the pork cutlet?

The pork cutlet was neither too thin nor too thick — just the right thickness. The outside was fried crispy, so it had that signature pork cutlet crunch, and it paired well with the rice. Personally, when I eat pork cutlet, it can start to feel a bit greasy toward the end.

But since the kimchi jjigae was right there, taking a sip of broth in between bites worked really well together. A combo that never fails — kimchi jjigae plus pork cutlet!!

The taste of the pork kimchi jjigae

I'm fairly particular about kimchi jjigae, and this one was exactly my style. There was plenty of kimchi and pork, so nothing felt skimpy, and there was a decent amount of solid ingredients too. Most importantly, it wasn't an under-simmered kimchi soup taste — it had that well-simmered, properly tangy jjigae flavor, and I loved that 👍🏻

An easy-going atmosphere for eating alone

I came to eat solo, and I noticed other office workers stopping by on their way home to eat alone too. Pork cutlet is just an easy dish to eat by yourself, and the vibe was good for having a meal at a table and heading out.

Since the building is full of offices, it also seems like a good spot for hungry coworkers to swing by together after work for a quick cutlet and rice. At my old job, my single-household friends and I used to grab dinner together like this before heading home, haha. So if you're searching for a solo-dining spot near Gangnam-gu Office Station, this could be worth checking out.

Self-bar tip: refill rice and side dishes

One small downside for me was that the soy-egg rice was already lightly seasoned, so eating it alongside the kimchi jjigae the whole time, it got a bit salty toward the end. If I could eat more, I probably would have gotten some plain rice to balance it out. And conveniently, there's a self-bar in the restaurant where you can grab extra rice and side dishes!!

I was already full after the pork cutlet, soy-egg rice, and kimchi jjigae, so I didn't actually go back for more rice 🥲 Still, having the option to refill is a solid point for anyone who wants a hearty meal. Basic side dishes are provided, and if you need extra sides or more rice, you can just help yourself at the self-bar~!

Overall verdict from a solo visit

I actually visited alone that day and had the pork kimchi jjigae + pork cutlet set. At 6pm on a Wednesday, there was no wait and I could go straight in, and eating solo didn't feel awkward at all. For ₩14,000, I got a nicely thick, crispy pork cutlet, pork kimchi jjigae, and soy-egg rice all in one meal, so it felt like a solid, filling meal overall.

I already loved the pork cutlet + kimchi jjigae combo, and the kimchi jjigae flavor matched my taste, so I left satisfied. The unexpected fried egg rice stuck in my memory too, haha. If you don't just want a plain pork cutlet by yourself but want soup on the side to make it a proper hearty solo meal, this is worth considering near Gangnam-gu Office Station. Next time I need a solo dinner and think of pork cutlet and kimchi jjigae together, I'll probably pick this set again.