Goyang tonkatsu restaurant date-night spread: Kitsuki

I had plans over in Goyang and stopped by a place that has become known as a great tonkatsu spot in Ilsan. It seemed like lots of younger people come here for dates.

A calm dining atmosphere

Even from the exterior, it had that distinctive dining-room feel, and the interior was equally calm and atmospheric.

There were lamps that doubled as mirrors on the tables, too, and you could see the care that had gone into every little interior detail.

The soft lighting really brought the atmosphere to life, so it looked perfect for a date or gathering. The refrigerator to one side was stocked with a variety of natural wines and other drinks, which would go nicely with the food.

Kitsuki menu and prices

The menu has handwritten, detailed descriptions and tips on how to enjoy each dish. It is made up of udon, katsu, and side dishes.

• Perilla cream udon: ₩13,000
• Loin katsu (Jirisan Berkshire K black-pork loin): ₩13,000
• Hire katsu (Jirisan Berkshire K black-pork tenderloin): ₩14,000
• Premium loin katsu (special loin cut with pork neck): ₩16,000
• Assorted katsu (loin, 2 pieces tenderloin, 1 ebi fry): ₩18,000
• Ebi fry, or fried shrimp (2 pieces): ₩7,000

It also says that you can ask for more rice and soup if you need it. There was a helpful note explaining that, because they use premium Berkshire K pork, the cut surface can appear bright red.

Sharing perilla cream udon and katsu

We ordered the perilla cream udon, assorted katsu, and loin katsu to share.

The perilla cream udon was generously topped with savory cheese powder and scallions.

The richness of the cream and the distinctive flavor of perilla seeds were a perfect match. The udon noodles were so wonderfully chewy too, with such a great texture.

When I lifted the noodles with my chopsticks, the thick cream sauce clung right to them.

A full assorted katsu set

The assorted katsu comes as a generous, full set. There are round tenderloin cutlets, crisp loin cutlets, and ebi fry wrapped in a nest-like coating. It is neatly served with rice, miso soup, sauces, kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi), and seed jeotgal (fermented salted seafood).

I think it is kadaif noodles! The coating wrapped around the ebi fry was incredibly crisp—you could tell just from the sound of the bite. The shrimp inside was plump and springy too, and it was truly delicious dipped in sauce. A slice of lemon sat on top of the salad, and a little squeeze took away any richness completely.

The cross-section of the hire katsu had a bright red hue and was full of juices. One bite, and the meat was so tender and easy to chew. A little salt or perilla oil brings out the meat's naturally savory flavor even more.

The regular loin katsu was tender and clean-tasting~!

The premium loin katsu had just the right balance of fat and lean meat, giving it a particularly savory flavor. There was a lot of fat, but that is exactly what I have been craving lately. The crisp breading and mild loin worked together beautifully.

Mini curry and sauces, too

Definitely add that mini curry! It is good for dipping, there is meat in it too, and it really upgrades the flavor.

Dunking the katsu deeply in the standard sauce adds a sweet note that keeps you reaching back for more. I liked the standard sauce best today, while my friend seemed to like the jeotgal most.

The quality of the meat itself is so good that this is a place where you can taste katsu at its best: crisp outside and moist inside. It paired far better than expected with the perilla cream udon, and we left after a satisfying meal. If you are looking for delicious tonkatsu or clean, polished dining around Goyang, I think it is well worth stopping by at least once.