Medium-rare steak lunch on Bamridan-gil, Goyang: Upstairs Kitchen

The Bamridan-gil restaurant's exterior

I ended up here while looking for somewhere to have lunch on Bamridan-gil... The moment I stepped inside, the feeling was a little different. What caught my eye first when I walked in was the atmosphere.

Inside, a space like a European alley restaurant

It was a bit different from a typical restaurant... It felt like a small eatery you'd stumble upon down a back alley while traveling in Europe!

So even before the food arrived, I was oddly as excited as if I were traveling. It was the kind of space where you'd rather sit a little longer than just eat and leave.

Eating steak in that kind of atmosphere felt different from usual.

Ilsan steak menu and prices

UPSTAIR SHARE COURSE menu Bruschetta 2p + choice of pasta or risotto + 300g striploin steak + 1 drink: 68.0

• APPETIZER — Bruschetta (2p): 6.0 / Tomato bruschetta: 6.0 / Bruschetta (2p): 6.0 / Extra bread (2p): 2.0 / Roasted pear salad: 12.0 / Caesar salad: 17.0
• PASTA — Classic lasagna: 22.0 / Clam vongole: 21.0 / Shrimp oil pasta: 21.0 / Tomato basil pasta: 21.0 / Mushroom cream pasta: 21.0 / Seafood tomato pasta: 21.0 / Ragu rosé pasta: 21.0 / Pork belly perilla leaf pasta: 20.0
• RISOTTO — Abalone risotto: 23.0
• STEAK — Striploin steak (300g): 54.0
• DRINK — Cola/zero cola: 3.0 / Cider: 3.0 / Bundaberg: 5.0 / Ade (grapefruit/lemon): 5.0

What I chose that day was the steak. Sirloin steak, ₩54,000.

Honestly, doneness really matters for steak. Even with the same cut of meat, the texture changes quite a bit depending on how well it's cooked. I tend to prefer a softer bite over meat that's too firm.

So I ordered it medium. Trying it, the texture matched exactly what I wanted. Chewing it, it wasn't tough at all — it went down soft and smooth, and I liked that.

What doneness should you choose for the steak?

A lot of people hesitate over doneness when ordering steak. I paused for a moment too when ordering. Of course, everyone's preferred texture is different...

You should just pick whatever suits your taste. But if you like a moist, tender texture like I do, I'd recommend medium. Eating it that day, I found myself thinking, 'I should order it this way again next time.'

The atmosphere at Upstairs Kitchen, an Ilsan steak restaurant

But it's hard to pick a great restaurant based on food alone. Especially for a date. It's disappointing if the food is fine but the space is too chaotic, and just as disappointing if the atmosphere is great but the food doesn't meet expectations. But that day, the two didn't clash at all. Eating steak slowly in an atmosphere like some European city, the meal itself felt like an experience.

There were still plenty of customers even after lunchtime

On the day I visited, even though it was a bit past lunchtime, customers kept coming in. That stuck with me too.

There were couples on dates, and also two older guests.

In particular, the two older guests were talking about their trip to Italy. Watching them, I thought it really suited the mood of the space. Chatting about travel while eating at a leisurely pace — in that moment, I felt as if I were briefly in Italy too.

So it stayed with me even longer

After visiting a good restaurant, often only the food sticks in your memory. But this time was different. I remember the texture of the steak, and I remember the space that day too... Above all, I loved the leisure of sitting down and slowly eating steak during lunchtime. I didn't travel far, but it felt like I'd briefly visited another city. I think a meal like this is pretty great too.

Location and reservations

Upstairs Kitchen Bamridan-gil Branch is open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 9:20 p.m., except for break time from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m., and reservations can be made via Naver or Catchtable.

And one more thing. If you're planning to visit, I'd recommend making a reservation!! Even when I went, customers kept coming even after lunchtime had passed. Especially if you have plans with a partner or want to eat at a specific time, this matters even more...

Overall

This lunch left me remembering the atmosphere just as much as the plate of steak. Eating steak slowly in a space that felt like some European city, it was like a brief trip. Especially the talk of an Italy trip drifting over from the next table. From couples on dates to older guests eating comfortably — each enjoying the space in their own way.

It felt less like a place you go just to eat steak and more like a place where you enjoy the atmosphere along with the food. I'll have to come back and eat here again sometime soon... If you're planning a lunch date, making a reservation before visiting seems like a good idea.