Yeouido restaurant gyukatsu set for two: Izawa

I suddenly started craving gyukatsu (breaded beef cutlet), which I had forgotten about for a while, and felt like I absolutely had to have it. While looking for somewhere I could get to quickly nearby, I headed to Izawa right in front of Yeouido Station. Apparently, Izawa is a Korean brand that has been serving gyukatsu since 2015! The Yeouido Direct Store's break time starts at 3 p.m., so I hurried over and made it there.

Izawa by Yeouido Station Exit 5: location and parking

Izawa Yeouido is on the second floor of Yeouido General Shopping Center, the building directly in front of Exit 5 of Yeouido Station. Come up the stairs and head all the way to the right~ It is an easy location to reach by subway, too. Remember that parking validation is only available if you use the ground-level lot. (The underground lot is paid.)

Look for Unit 203. There is a menu board and waiting list at the entrance. It is a popular Yeouido spot that even has a wait at lunchtime.

There were signatures like these on the refrigerator, too.

A tidy interior with seats for solo diners

The interior was tidy, and I liked that the tables were not cramped. I also saw people coming for gyukatsu dates. There were two solo seats by the window, so eating alone was an option. Even before break time, diners kept coming in, so I quickly snapped these as soon as the solo diner left the window seat. The weather was lovely, too, making it a nice spot to eat while looking outside.

Set A comes with two gyukatsu set meals

You order on a tablet. They are also running a receipt-review event with a complimentary drink. Ramen, mazesoba, gyudon, and pan-memil buckwheat noodles are available, too. I ordered Set A: two gyukatsu set meals plus one canned drink for ₩36,500. The difference between steak and gyukatsu is that steak is seared on the outside, while gyukatsu is fried.

Before the food came out, they first placed the brazier on the table, which made me even more excited while waiting. It was a mini brazier, but the heat was surprisingly strong.

The set meal came with gyukatsu, soup, rice, sauce, side dishes, and cabbage salad.

Grilling gyukatsu myself over the brazier

I started with the cabbage salad and got into the meal.

The gyukatsu was nicely fried on the outside, with bright-red beef showing inside, so I was eager to grill it and put it straight onto the brazier.

Some people quickly cook only the cut surface, so I tried it that way too. But I liked it much better cooked through. I think it is best to grill it to your own preference.

Cooking it on the brazier meant I could eat it warm. Next time, I want to try the steak donburi.

At another table, they were replacing the mini-brazier fuel midway through the meal, but since I kept grilling several pieces at once, there was not even a moment to replace it haha.

Trying it with wasabi, special sauce, and salt

The combination of rice and gyukatsu topped with wasabi was a little cleaner-tasting, perhaps because the wasabi cut through the richness. Just be sure to control the amount! Dipping the gyukatsu alone in Izawa's special sauce also let me really enjoy the tender meat and crisp breading.

There is salt on the table, so pour some out and try it. The person I ate with said salt brought out the gyukatsu flavor best and recommended dipping it in salt.

I had spoonfuls of soup, too. Finish with the drink, and the meal is done~

If you are visiting as two people, I recommend Set A!

Gyukatsu that is also great for a Yeouido date meal

If you are looking for great gyukatsu, I recommend Izawa Yeouido Direct Store, which is conveniently right in front of Yeouido Station. Signature options such as basil ramen and pan-memil buckwheat noodles are available too, and there are solo seats, so you can fully enjoy gyukatsu on your own. A walk to Yeouido Park after eating would make a nice Yeouido date course as well~