Seoul Station gyukatsu after Namsan Tower, 8-second sear: Ichigyu

Went up Namsan Tower today and headed to lunch afterward at a gyukatsu spot near Seoul Station called Ichigyu! Finding something simple but filling for lunch near Seoul Station isn't easy. Then I found the answer — gyukatsu!!!! I'm the type who can't skip meat even at lunch, haha.

Where is Ichigyu Seoul Station Branch? A 2-minute walk from Seoul Station

Ichigyu Seoul Station Branch is a 2-minute walk from Seoul Station, on the basement level of the LG Household & Health Care building. Close to both Namsan Tower and Seoul Station, so it's great for a date in the area!

Ichigyu's menu and the Kirin one-cup beer

Ichigyu has a range of Japanese dishes. The mains are gyukatsu (breaded beef cutlet) / hamburg omurice / steki set, plus steki-don (steak rice bowl), yakisoba, and Japanese curry.

Besides regular drinks, they also serve Kirin draft beer — including a simple little 200ml Kirin one-shot draft!!! Perfect for a light drink 👍

Ordered one main gyukatsu and steki-don, a beef rice bowl you grill yourself!! Even the steak on the rice bowl gets grilled at the table!!! 👏👏👏 Not just gyukatsu — steki-don too can be seared to your own liking. 👏👏👏

Inside Ichigyu: a mini brazier at every table

Before the food arrives, a quick look inside: about 15 tables, split into 2-seat and 4-seat setups. Since grill-it-yourself gyukatsu is the whole point, every table comes with a mini brazier set up by default.

Cute little brazier ♡ Getting so excited!!!!!

Gyukatsu 19,500 won and steki-don 19,500 won

Gyukatsu, ₩19,500. Sirloin with a nutty aroma, served with Ichigyu's special sauce — garlicky, savory, and tangy.

Steki-don, ₩19,500. A thick-cut sirloin steak rice bowl, enjoyed by grilling each piece yourself.

Both dishes are the grill-it-yourself type, so they come with Isigny butter. Melt the rich Isigny butter in the mini brazier!!!

How many seconds do you sear gyukatsu on the brazier?

Ichigyu says about 8 seconds makes it taste best! I'll drop a few pieces of gyukatsu onto the melted butter. I personally cooked mine a little longer. To each their own taste!

Gyukatsu is thick-cut beef wrapped in a crispy coating — the crunch of the fried crust against the tender sirloin was so good!

Sear it lightly, then top with salt and wasabi — honey-good!!!!!! The sauce was great too, but the salt-and-wasabi combo was my favorite.

How do you eat Ichigyu's steki-don?

For steki-don, sear the meat lightly, then lay it over rice (generously sauced with steak sauce), and top with wasabi and pickled ginger — this too is honey-good!!!!

Gyukatsu or steki-don: which should you order at Ichigyu?

If you like clean, savory flavors, go for the gyukatsu!! If you like sauce and bolder flavors, go for the steki-don!! Both are delicious, so honestly you could try both, haha. If you're on a date near Seoul Station, how about Ichigyu's gyukatsu for lunch?

Ichigyu Seoul Station Branch hours, parking and reservations

• Location: 98 Huam-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul, basement B116
• Hours: Daily 11:00 - 21:30
• Break time: 15:00 - 17:00
• Last order: 14:00 / 20:30
• Paid parking: B2 level, ₩1,000 per 10 min / ₩6,000 per hour
• Reservations: Naver Reservation for 1-4 people, Catch Table available