Gangdong Seoul tonkatsu restaurant: special loin at Tonka

Today I visited Tonka (톤카), a great tonkatsu spot in Amsa-dong! I had been looking for authentic Japanese tonkatsu (Japanese breaded pork cutlet), and as soon as I heard there was a good one in Amsa-dong, I went straight there >.<

Tonka's counter seats and waiting list in Amsa-dong

Tonka is a small counter-bar space run by one chef. He was so kind and spoke so formally that I really felt looked after!

Oh, and Tonka is one of Amsa's popular spots, so they even have a waiting list ready, haha!!! Luckily, I got there right at opening and was able to sit down!

A meticulously maintained open kitchen

Looking around the open kitchen, tables, and everywhere else, I could tell how impeccably clean everything was kept. I love places that are this neat and clean!

They say they make everything that day and sell out that day, and prefer preparing small amounts of rice, soup, and side dishes frequently. That is exactly my philosophy too (?) haha. Rather than a place that leaves lots of side dishes and things to become waste, I prefer one where you can eat freshly prepared small amounts often; rice and soup are warmer when you refill them in small portions too! They told me rice, soup, and side dishes can all be refilled.

Such a thoughtful touch: there are coat hangers behind the seats!

Tonkatsu sauce and salad dressing! Sauces like these normally get messy when customers spill them, but I was amazed by how clean they were, haha. They also cleaned and checked each table really thoroughly after a customer left, so the hygiene was excellent. 👍👍

Watching the tonkatsu cooking process from the counter

It was such fun sitting at the counter and watching the tonkatsu being made, haha.

It did not go straight onto the customer's plate the moment it was fried—they seemed to probe it with a thermometer (?) and let it rest. It felt like they paid close attention not only to crispness but also to cooking temperature and time! Then they sliced it like this, and it was pure crunchiness!!!!

Limited Special Loin Katsu and tender tenderloin

Special Loin Katsu (limited quantity), ₩18,000. The Special Loin Katsu is a loin cutlet made with a carefully selected premium cut.

The special loin had such a perfect balance of meat and fat!! It was seriously delicious. And the tenderloin beside it just melted away... ❤️

Tonka, the magical Amsa-dong tonkatsu spot where every bite went down so easily without a hint of heaviness... ❤️

I always have this prejudice that tenderloin will be dry, but this was so tender and wrapped around the palate so smoothly, lol. The tenderloin was truly delicious!!

The yellow powder served alongside is salt! Dip it ever so lightly in the salt and it is ridiculously tasty ❤️

Classic Tonkatsu and shiitake mushroom soup

Tonkatsu, ₩15,000. The standard plate brings together the loin's rich juices and the tenderloin's softness!

This is a standard loin cut, different from the Special Loin Katsu, but the ratio of lean meat to fat is wonderful too, right??? If you prefer meat over fat, I think this regular Tonkatsu menu would be the one to order!

And the shiitake mushroom soup that came with it..👍 It had such a deep shiitake aroma and flavor, and it was truly delicious!!! It paired so well with the tonkatsu. Every item seemed designed to work together, and I had such a delicious meal!

A special katsu before Sunday closure

Because Tonka is regularly closed every Sunday, they say you can try special katsu the day before to help manage inventory! I am so curious that I will have to visit again on Saturday...!