Sinnonhyeon gyukatsu spot, first-timer's late solo lunch: Ichigyu

Today I came out for lunch at Ichigyu Gangnam Sinnonhyeon Branch, a gyukatsu (breaded beef cutlet) spot near Sinnonhyeon.

10 minutes from Gangnam Station, solo lunch at 1:30pm

It took about 10 minutes to walk to Ichigyu Gangnam Sinnonhyeon Branch from Gangnam Station. Since I was dining alone, I timed it for around 1:30pm to avoid the lunch rush.

Most tables had already finished their meals and cleared out. I took a two-person table. As soon as I stepped into this gyukatsu spot near Sinnonhyeon, the smell hit me and I suddenly got even hungrier.

I'd been sweating on the walk over and wanted to wash my hands, but Ichigyu has a sink right outside the restroom, so I could wash up right away — very convenient.

What is gyukatsu? How is it different from donkatsu?

Even after all my travels and restaurant hopping, there are still dishes I haven't tried. Today's order, gyukatsu, was another first.

Gyukatsu is a Japanese dish where beef is coated in a thin layer of breading, fried until crisp, then finished to your liking on a personal tabletop brazier. You get a crispy outside and juicy inside at the same time, which is why it's such a popular pick on trips to Japan.

Apparently they give you free shrimp tempura if you write a receipt review at this Sinnonhyeon spot. I ordered mine separately, so I didn't get the freebie. Haha.

What I ordered and how much it cost

I ordered Ichigyu's signature gyukatsu and cold soba set, the specialty of this gyukatsu spot near Sinnonhyeon.

• Ichigyu gyukatsu ₩19,500
• Cold soba & shrimp tempura ₩11,000

They also had Kirin draft beer (₩8,000), and I almost ordered it, but swapped it for cold soba instead. Drinking during the day and then heading back out into the heat makes the trip home rough. Haha.

Grilling Ichigyu's gyukatsu on my own personal brazier

So this is gyukatsu — definitely different from donkatsu (Korean-style pork cutlet). There's a personal brazier so you can grill it to your own taste. Luckily the AC inside this Sinnonhyeon spot was blasting, so grilling over the flame wasn't too hot.

You put the butter that comes with it onto the brazier and grill the gyukatsu on top. Next time I go, I'll add extra butter. It'd probably taste even better that way.

Salt, wasabi, and cabbage salad combos

It's great dipped in salt, topped with wasabi, or eaten alongside the cabbage salad. Donkatsu is deep-fried in oil, but gyukatsu gets grilled once more on the brazier, so there's none of that roof-of-mouth-scraping you get with donkatsu.

The rice came served like this too, which made me feel like I was on a trip to Japan. Even one spoonful of rice with a piece of gyukatsu on top made me smile.

Definitely order the cold soba

Next up was the cold soba. You really need to try this. I'm so glad I ordered it. The refreshing cold soba broth cooled my stomach right down. Adding the shredded ginger on the side made it even more refreshing. As a gyukatsu spot near Sinnonhyeon, the gyukatsu-and-cold-soba combo was truly satisfying.

The cold soba's tsuyu-based broth, with its bonito flake aroma, made it easy to eat even in hot weather. Adding the shredded ginger brought out more of the flavor, and it paired really well with the gyukatsu.

Worth it for a solo lunch near Sinnonhyeon?

I've eaten donkatsu plenty of times before, but this was my first time with gyukatsu. Grilling it myself on the brazier made the meal feel like something new.

If you're near Sinnonhyeon Station looking for lunch, a solo meal, or a Japanese gyukatsu restaurant, give Ichigyu Gangnam Sinnonhyeon Branch a try. Next time I want to add extra butter and enjoy it even richer.