Euljiro pork cutlet restaurant with scallion kimchi: Hunta Euljiro

I was looking for a great Euljiro pork cutlet place where I could eat alone, so I visited Hunta Euljiro (훈타 을지로)!

Hunta Euljiro hours

Monday–Friday 11:00–20:10 Break time 15:00–17:00 Last order 14:30, 19:40 Closed every Saturday and Sunday 1F, Unit 106, 24 Namdaemun-ro 9-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul

A comfortable atmosphere for solo dining in Euljiro

As you wander through Euljiro's alleys, you sometimes come across restaurants where it feels a little awkward to walk in alone, right? But Hunta Euljiro welcomed me with a comfortable atmosphere the moment I stepped inside.

There are plenty of regular seats, but the bar counter was a real plus. Like me, anyone coming for a solo meal can eat comfortably without feeling self-conscious.

Each seat was neatly stocked with paper cups, Gaban pepper, and shichimi (Japanese seven-spice blend). You could really feel the thoughtfulness in those little details, all set up so you can add whatever suits your taste!

Ordering the hire katsu set and cheese katsu

Looking through the menu on the tablet at my seat, I found such a huge selection: premium loin katsu set, loin katsu set, chicken katsu set, hire katsu set, assorted katsu set, loin and hire katsu set, shoulder-loin tare katsu-don, premium loin tare katsu-don, loin tare katsu-don, and more. Everything looked delicious, so I happily agonized over what to get for quite a while before ordering the hire (tenderloin) katsu set, an extra cheese katsu, and Kirin Ichiban beer.

After about 10 minutes, the food arrived—and the presentation was honestly insane.

It came as such a neat, complete spread: Sel de Sal lake salt, Gaban pepper, sharp scallion kimchi, pork cutlet sauce, mustard and wasabi, plus warm soup!

Black-pork hire katsu with pepper and salt

As the staff member served it, they told me that because it uses black pork, it tastes even better with a little pepper from the table sprinkled on top.

So I immediately added a light sprinkle of pepper, dipped it in salt, and took a bite.

It was seriously crisp outside and unbelievably juicy inside! It practically melted in my mouth. Apparently, the owner loves pork cutlets so much that they spent the last five years travelling all over Korea—and even visiting famous katsu shops in Japan—to study the flavor.

The know-how built while working at top-tier katsu establishments in Korea really comes through here; the quality was clearly different!

They even say they carefully select and use only a range of premium black-pork breeds that ordinary pork cutlet shops cannot easily use because of cost and handling issues. Maybe it is Hunta's own aging method and frying technique, but the black pork's nutty fat and springy lean meat were truly on another level.

As I ate, I kept wondering why it tasted just like that life-changing pork cutlet I had in a famous Japanese alley while travelling. I also tried it with wasabi and mustard, and their sharp kick was a perfect match for the meat.

And if you take a big sip of cold beer in the middle of it all, that is simply perfection : )

Stretchy cheese katsu and scallion kimchi

I also tried the cheese katsu I ordered as an extra.

It was generously packed with nutty cheese, so pulling those long cheese strings was fun too. The crispy coating and rich cheese flavor were pure art. Alternating between the tenderloin and cheese katsu meant there was no chance to get tired of it : )

And the real genius move was the scallion kimchi! When you keep eating pork cutlet, there comes a point where it can start to feel a little rich or greasy. But putting a piece of scallion kimchi on top completely cut through that richness. It was the best combination, letting me finish everything deliciously without getting tired of it.

It was so good that I looked it up, and it turns out it is listed among the top 100 katsu restaurants in Daedonyeojido, a pork-cutlet bible written by a katsu influencer! It has already earned recognition for its quality among food lovers, which made me trust the flavor even more.

If you are looking for a great lunch near Euljiro, somewhere good for a solo meal, or a truly memorable pork cutlet, definitely visit Hunta Euljiro : ) The katsu-loving owner puts their pride into every plate, so you will not regret it!