Gangdong tonkatsu restaurant for a light dinner: Tonka

I visited Tonka (TONKA), where you can enjoy Japanese-style tonkatsu near Amsa Station! When I searched on Naver, the phrase “many repeat visits” caught my eye. After trying it myself, I could see why so many people come back.

Tonka near Amsa Station: location and visitor information

The address is 1F, Unit 102, 78 Sangam-ro 5-gil, Gangdong-gu, Seoul. It is about 427 m from Exit 4 of Amsa Station, toward the prehistoric site.

Hours are 11:00–20:30, with a break from 15:00–17:00. Last orders are 30 minutes before the break and closing time, and it is regularly closed on Mondays. It may close early if ingredients sell out.

I heard you can park in front of the restaurant during your meal or use the parking area behind the building. The spaces are not especially plentiful, though, so I recommend public transportation if possible! Pets, private rental, Wi-Fi, and easy payment are also available.

An all-counter interior that works well for solo dining

We arrived around 7 p.m. The wood-toned interior felt warm, and the slightly dim lighting made it quietly cozy? Every seat at Tonka is a counter seat.

It has that nice solo-dining kind of feel? In fact, several people came in to eat alone while we were there! There are also hangers behind the counter seats for coats and bags.

Ordering is easy: just scan the QR code set up in front of each seat. The menu was much simpler than I expected, with three kinds of katsu and drinks.

Special katsu at the end of the month

On the last Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of every month, they say you can have special katsu not listed on the menu. They prepare options that are not normally available, such as fish katsu or cheese katsu, with the owner personally selecting and sourcing the ingredients. Keep that in mind if you are planning an end-of-month visit!!

What we ordered

• 2 tonkatsu: ₩15,000 × 2
• 1 Zero Coke: ₩2,000

Tonka is almost an open kitchen, so you can watch the food being made right in front of you. I especially got to see the pork cutlets being sliced up close... that knife looked seriously scary. And the owner was even smiling while doing it... all the more... haha...!!!!

Still, watching the cooking process right in front of us definitely made us more excited for the food! The tonkatsu set lets you try both loin and tenderloin. It comes as a full tray with tonkatsu salad, rice, mushroom soup, wasabi salt, mustard, and pickled pepper leaves.

Salad dressing and tonkatsu sauce are set out on the table, so you can take as much as you like. Above all, isn't the color of the cutlet so pretty? The outside was fried crisp, while the inside had a pinkish, juicy look that already looked delicious.

Juicy loin and tenderloin tonkatsu without the greasiness

Pork cutlets can taste great for the first bite or two, but feel a little heavy from the oil by the time you finish, right? Tonka’s tonkatsu, though, was not greasy at all—more than I expected. It felt as if the oil had been cleanly rendered away, so my stomach did not feel weighed down even after finishing it.

At the same time, the meat itself was juicy, so I enjoyed it without any dryness or heaviness. I also liked being able to eat the loin and tenderloin together and compare the different textures.

Mushroom soup and wasabi salt

What especially stayed with me was the mushroom soup and wasabi salt! The soup had loads of mushrooms, and the mushroom aroma came through strongly in the broth—it was really delicious to me. So good. The wasabi salt was lovely too: instead of the wasabi hitting sharply, its aroma spread gently, and it paired really well with the pork cutlet.

It is probably already a well-known local favorite! But if you are craving Japanese-style tonkatsu near Amsa Station, do stop by Tonka! It felt comfortable for solo dining, dates, or a quick meal. And the owner was truly kind, so the meal was good for my mood as well as my taste buds. I really want to try the special katsu that is only available at the end of the month too ><!