Ilwon-dong tonkatsu with extra cheese and tenderloin katsu: Sioldon

Sioldon Ilwon Branch is a tonkatsu spot near Samsung Seoul Hospital.

Where to eat lunch near Samsung Seoul Hospital

Sioldon Ilwon Branch is a tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet) restaurant at 12 Ilwon-ro 9-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, on Ilwon Food Street. I had some business at Samsung Seoul Hospital recently and ended up going over to Ilwon Food Street for lunch afterward. There aren't really any shops right in front of the hospital, but if you walk down to the food street there are plenty of restaurants clustered together, so it's good for a meal. There are a few restaurants in the hospital basement too, but personally they don't suit my taste, so I end up going out to eat. This time I went to find Sioldon, a tonkatsu spot near Samsung Seoul Hospital.

Parking at Sioldon Ilwon Branch: only two free spots

Only two cars can park in front of Sioldon, so it's pretty tight — I'd recommend using a nearby public parking lot instead. If you happen to be coming from Samsung Seoul Hospital, same-day parking is free all day if you're admitted or visiting, so it's a good idea to park at the hospital and walk the 10 minutes over.

Just keep in mind that if you exit the hospital lot during the same day, you'll have to pay a parking fee, so plan around that 😊 When you arrive, order first at the kiosk, then write your name on the waitlist and staff will call you. Even on a weekday during the lunch peak, there was a wait.

Sioldon Ilwon Branch menu and prices

Menu check ✔️

• Sirloin Katsu Set ₩12,900
• Tenderloin Katsu Set ₩14,900
• Kimchi Katsu Nabe ₩13,900
• Cheese Katsu Set ₩12,900
• Katsu-don ₩11,900
• Cheongyang Curry Udon ₩9,000
• Cheongyang Curry Sauce ₩3,000
• Tomato Curry Sauce ₩3,000

Sioldon is also running a Naver receipt review event, giving out a canned drink to participants, so it might be worth doing while you eat.

Tomato curry udon, 9,000 won: the mildest option

The tomato curry udon at Sioldon Ilwon Branch is ₩9,000, and I ordered it because I wanted something less spicy. It wasn't harsh at all and drew out that distinctive umami of curry, making it the kind of dish you keep reaching back for. Honestly the curry udon impressed me more than the tonkatsu itself, so I wanted to introduce it first haha.

The curry tasted like something you'd get in Japan, and it paired nicely with the chewy udon noodles — next time I'll try the cheongyang udon.

Sirloin katsu set, 12,900 won: 72-hour aged Korean pork

The sirloin katsu set at Sioldon Ilwon Branch is ₩12,900. Apparently Sioldon has its own special method for tonkatsu. They cross-age domestic Korean pork for a full 72 hours, then brine it with nuruk salt (fermented rice-koji salt) to draw out deep flavor. I think the meat you use matters most, and Sioldon insists on Seonjinpork and Dodram pork — two of the largest domestic pork brands in Korea — so I had high expectations.

They say to eat the vegetables first, so I started with the salad that came alongside. It's crunchy, dressed in a nutty sesame sauce.

Maybe because of the fermented nuruk salt, the meat itself already had a base seasoning, which brought out more umami from the pork. It was especially good dipped in pink salt or wasabi. I'm usually a wasabi person, but the salt went surprisingly well too.

Cheese katsu add-on, 4,900 won

You can add cheese katsu at Sioldon Ilwon Branch for ₩4,900. As good as the sirloin was, the cheese katsu suited my taste more. It's packed with cheese, so the moment you bite in it stretches out in long strings, giving it a really rich, nutty flavor. Rather than feeling greasy, that nutty depth came through first, which told me they'd picked out good-quality cheese ✨

Tenderloin katsu add-on, 4,900 won

Tenderloin katsu is also a ₩4,900 add-on. Since I wanted to try every kind of katsu Sioldon offers, I ordered tenderloin on top of the sirloin and cheese katsu. Thanks to the nature of the tenderloin cut, it's extremely tender and easy to eat. There aren't that many restaurants near Samsung Seoul Hospital, so if you're looking for a tonkatsu spot nearby, Sioldon is worth checking out.