Sharosu-gil gyukatsu restaurant: sunny 2nd floor, rice refills, Izawa

Calling all pork cutlet lovers! If you're sick of the same old tonkatsu, I've got an unusual spot for you: Izawa Sharosugil Branch, a Japanese restaurant on Sharosu-gil near Seoul National University Station, great for dates and solo meals. The atmosphere is lovely for a date, and even though it's gyukatsu, the portions are big, so the value is good and it's easy to eat alone too. Here's my review of the signature gyukatsu at this Sharosu-gil cutlet favorite!

Where is Izawa Sharosugil Branch, and where do you park?

Izawa Sharosugil Branch (이자와 샤로수길점) is a 5-minute walk from Seoul National University Station Exit 2, right on Sharosu-gil's main street. Public transport access is good, and being on the main street made it easy to find. If you're driving, I recommend parking at the nearby Gwanak-gu Office lot, a 2-minute walk from the restaurant.

I heard Izawa is an authentic Japanese restaurant that introduced gyukatsu to Korea for the first time in 2015. They say they added a delicate Korean touch to the traditional Japanese method to create a premium gyukatsu. It suits Korean tastes well, so it's an easy dish that nearly everyone enjoys.

What's the vibe for a Sharosu-gil date or solo meal?

What I liked most was that the restaurant is on the 2nd floor, so it gets lots of natural light. It's a Sharosu-gil cutlet spot that works for both dates and eating alone. The seating looked good for groups too, and it felt comfortable whether you come as a pair or by yourself, so I'd recommend it in any situation.

What's on Izawa's menu?

Izawa's signature dish is gyukatsu, and the popular one is steki-don (beef rice bowl). The gyukatsu pairs a crispy coating with tender aged beef, and a special sauce adds depth. If you're a rice person, I'd recommend the steki-don: juicy beef over rice with the special sauce.

First-visit review of the Izawa gyukatsu set

It was the first time at an Izawa branch for both me and my companion, so we ordered two of the signature gyukatsu. Everything came out neatly arranged on a tray, which makes Izawa Sharosugil Branch a nice pick for a cutlet date in Sharosu-gil.

Aged beef, grilled to your own doneness

Izawa uses aged meat. See how nice the color of the beef is? You can tell the quality when you see the raw meat, and the quality at Izawa Sharosugil Branch was obvious just from looking at it.

With the gyukatsu, you grill the meat yourself like this. I liked that everyone can cook it to their own preferred doneness. Since you each grill your own, it's not like a BBQ place where one person ends up grilling for everyone, so it's easy on both of you haha

It cooks quickly, and the sizzling sound as it cooks is surprisingly fun haha. We put on piece after piece, chatting with my companion, and time just flew by. Highly recommended as a Sharosu-gil date spot!

Rice refills, two sauces, soup and side dishes

Rice refills are available at Izawa Sharosugil Branch, so big rice eaters can come without worry! Rice with beef... what more is there to say haha. They go together really well, and it was a hearty meal.

There are two kinds of sauce, plus soup and side dishes, so we could eat it in all sorts of combinations.

Staff swap the grill for you

If the flame goes out or the grill needs changing partway through, the friendly staff come and swap it for you. Thoughtful service like that made this Sharosu-gil cutlet spot even more satisfying.

If you've been looking for something a little different, I recommend Izawa Sharosugil Branch, a gyukatsu specialist and cutlet spot near Seoul National University Station!