Japanese restaurant in Chungmuro for a solo sirloin steak set: Hurato

Where is Hurato Sikdang Euljiro and when is it open?

Hurato Sikdang Euljiro (후라토식당 을지로점) is at 27 Mareunnae-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul, Tower 107 Building, B1, Unit B106. On weekdays it is open 11:00-21:30 (break time 15:00-17:00, last order 20:30), and on Saturday and Sunday 11:30-22:00 (break time 15:00-17:00, last order 21:00).

You can park free in the Tower 107 underground car park. The restaurant also offers group dining, separate men's and women's restrooms, reservations, Wi-Fi and baby chairs.

I stopped by the office for a bit on the weekend and then went for a solo lunch at Hurato Sikdang, a Chungmuro favorite right by Euljiro 3-ga Station. A giant cat-like sculpture greets you in front of the building.

It's a 3-minute walk from Euljiro 3-ga Station Exit 9, so it's easy to get to. The restaurant is on the first basement level of Tower 107, and I could use the building's underground car park for free.

What kind of Japanese restaurant is Hurato Sikdang?

Hurato Sikdang is a Japanese restaurant where you can have a neat Japanese meal in the cozy feel of a Tokyo alley eatery. The menu is mostly Japanese home-style dishes: gyukatsu (breaded beef cutlet) and steak sets you grill yourself on a personal grill, omurice (omelet rice) and minced curry.

There was a waiting list at the entrance. It opens at 11 a.m. on weekdays, so it suits office workers at lunch, and it was also fine for a solo meal with a draft beer after work.

Are the seating and atmosphere at Hurato Sikdang Euljiro good for eating alone?

The interior is simple and modern, mixing wood tones with black. Bright ceiling lights give it a bright but calm feel.

The seating includes tables for two and four, wall sofa seats, and group seating at the back. The place is big and the options varied, so it works for anything from a solo meal to a date, a family dinner or a group get-together. A good Chungmuro lunch spot all round.

I also liked that the tables are spaced widely, so the neighboring table doesn't bother you much. There's a baby chair off to one side, so it seems comfortable to come with a baby too.

What did I order for a solo lunch?

You order by scanning the QR code on the table.

I hesitated between the gyukatsu and the steak set, and picked the yakiniku-style steak set. For a hearty lunch I also added a mini curry sauce and chicken karaage and shrimp tempura.

Hurato Sikdang Euljiro was running a review event, and as the perk you can choose one of a drink, karaage, onsen egg (soft-boiled egg) or Isigny butter. You can join for each of them separately, which is a generous deal, haha.

Hurato Sikdang Euljiro menu and prices

• Steak set ₩19,500
• Gyukatsu ₩19,500
• Omurice ₩14,500
• Steak rice bowl ₩19,500
• Yamagata minced curry ₩14,500
• Nikku On Udon ₩11,000

How does the sirloin steak set come out, and how does it taste?

The sirloin in Hurato Sikdang's steak set comes rare, seared only on the surface, and cut thick so it grills well. The portion of beef is quite generous, so I'd wholeheartedly recommend this Japanese restaurant to office workers looking for a filling Chungmuro lunch.

The rest of the set is rice, miso soup, cabbage salad, kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi), salt, soy-ponzu sauce, chili sauce and wasabi.

Once the personal grill is lit, you grill the beef yourself. Depending on how fast you eat, the fire can go out, but when I asked the staff, they kindly relit it.

The beef quality at Hurato Sikdang is good, and with every piece I grilled I could feel the tender texture and juicy, moist meat.

I also liked that you don't have to grill all the meat at once and can eat it warm to the very last piece. Sauce or wasabi works fine, but because the meat itself is so good, it tasted best with just a light dip in salt.

Instead of a crowded barbecue place, I got to grill sirloin to my preferred doneness in a Japanese restaurant and enjoy the meal my own way.

What does the side mini curry sauce taste like?

The mini curry sauce I ordered as a side at Hurato Sikdang is Japanese-style curry topped with garlic flakes.

It has a gentle sweetness with a salty edge, so I could mix it into my rice or dip the chicken karaage and shrimp tempura in it, which made the meal more varied.

Would I recommend Hurato Sikdang Euljiro for a solo lunch in Chungmuro or Euljiro 3-ga?

Hurato Sikdang Euljiro is a good place for a relaxed meal when you're looking for a lunch spot near Euljiro 3-ga or in Chungmuro. The neat atmosphere, like a Japanese alley eatery, plus the fun of grilling beef on a personal grill, let me focus on my meal even alone, and personally it's a genuinely great place I'd recommend to people around me.

I hear Tower 107 employees get 10% off, so it's worth trying during the event. (The Kirin draft beer 2+1 event is also running.)

Recommended for

• When you want to grill beef to your preferred doneness on a personal grill
• When you want tender, juicy beef
• For a Japanese lunch with coworkers in Chungmuro or Euljiro 3-ga
• For a family meal at a place with baby chairs
• When you want a relaxed solo meal or solo drink with a draft beer alongside the steak set