Japanese restaurant near Seoul Station: Furato Shokudo beef dishes

While looking for somewhere to eat near Seoul Square, I started craving gyukatsu and visited Furato Shokudo Seoul Square Direct Store (후라토식당 서울스퀘어 직영점). This time, we ordered gyukatsu and a steki rice bowl to share.

How do you get there from Seoul Station?

I came out of Seoul Station Exit 9 and entered the main entrance of the Seoul Square building on the first floor. After taking the escalator on the left down to B1, the restaurant was immediately on the left. The address is B1F-4, B1, 416 Hangang-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea.

The hours listed in the original post were 11:00–20:50, with a break from 15:00–17:00. Last orders were listed as 14:30 and 20:20. Free parking and paid valet parking for ₩5,000 were also listed. Before visiting, it may be useful to check the wait status on the Tabling app.

What is the atmosphere like for a meal with friends or coworkers?

When I entered, the overall atmosphere felt clean and comfortable. It felt like a good place for an easy meal rather than a formal one.

It looked fine for dining alone, and the atmosphere also felt suitable for coming with friends or coworkers. I thought it would be a good stop when choosing lunch nearby and craving gyukatsu or a Japanese-style rice bowl.

I liked that the interior was tidy, simple, and cozy. I could see people at nearby tables grilling meat, and the smell of grilling drifted through the space.

What did we order, and how much was it?

The gyukatsu and steki rice bowl were ₩19,500 each. A 355 ml Zero Pepsi was ₩3,000. Three sauces and side dishes came with the meal.

How did I grill the gyukatsu?

The gyukatsu (breaded beef cutlet) arrived rare and was meant to be cooked further on an individual tabletop grill. Unlike a cutlet eaten straight away, I cooked and ate it one piece at a time.

The outside was crisp and the inside was tender. I placed small portions of beef on the grill at a time, and it was fun to cook it myself.

Rather than cooking it through, I gave mine just a little more time on the grill. I liked the crisp exterior and the moist, tender texture inside. Instead of grilling it all at once, I put on a few pieces whenever I was ready to eat, so I could have it warm. I took my time with the sauces, accompaniments, and rice.

How was the steki rice bowl different from the gyukatsu?

The steki rice bowl is a beef rice bowl with aged steak cooked in sauce and onsen tamago (soft-cooked egg). It took less effort than the gyukatsu, so it was easier to eat.

With the meat served over rice, it was easy to scoop up the rice and meat together in one spoonful. Alternating it with the gyukatsu made the two beef dishes feel different.

The meat was more tender than I expected, and the seasoning was moderate. If cooking your own meat sounds bothersome, the steki rice bowl may be a good choice. We shared both dishes, and they paired well together.

How satisfying were the two dishes together?

Having the gyukatsu and steki rice bowl together made for a filling meal. What stayed with me most was cooking the gyukatsu in small portions on the grill and eating it warm. I felt it suited a meal of meat dishes with friends or coworkers in a comfortable setting.