Gangnam gyukatsu set with karaage and shrimp tempura added: Ichigyu

I was trying to figure out what to eat for lunch today when I suddenly craved meat, so I went to Ichigyu Gangnam Sinnonhyeon Branch. Honestly, ever since I passed by a Wolfgang Steak House location in Cheongdam a few days ago, I've been thinking about meat nonstop, so I decided to satisfy it with gyukatsu (Japanese beef cutlet) instead 🙌

Where is Ichigyu Gangnam Sinnonhyeon Branch, and is there parking?

📍 Ichigyu Gangnam Sinnonhyeon Branch is a 5-minute walk from Sinnonhyeon Station Exit 4, and also easy to reach from Gangnam Station. The restaurant is on the 2nd floor, and there's no dedicated parking, so keep that in mind.

Ichigyu at 11:40am on a weekday: seating and reservations

The interior of Ichigyu Gangnam Sinnonhyeon Branch had a full-on Japanese feel. There were more tables than I expected, so we could sit down comfortably. We went around 11:40am on a weekday, and after that time a ton of customers started coming in. You can also book through Naver or Catch Table, so if you're worried about waiting, I'd recommend reserving before you visit 🫶

What is on the Ichigyu menu?

I took a photo of the menu ✨ The main dishes were gyukatsu and steki, and beyond that they also had hamburg steak, curry, yakisoba, and cold mori soba (buckwheat noodles) available. With everything from meat dishes to noodles and rice dishes, it looked easy to pick according to your taste :)

Ordering Set 1 with karaage and shrimp tempura at Ichigyu

We ordered Set 1. It comes with two sirloin gyukatsu and two drinks, and worried it might not be enough, we also added karaage and shrimp tempura as sides 🍤 The lineup looked substantial enough for two people, so we went with this combo haha

I also took a photo of the country-of-origin labeling 📸 If you're curious about the origin when ordering meat or side dishes, this photo should be useful as reference.

First, a cool glass of zero-sugar cola to wet the throat before really digging in! The bubbles came out looking kind of creepy in the photo..? Watch out if you have trypophobia 🙃

They brought the rice before the gyukatsu, and the portion was more generous than I expected 🍚 It was plenty filling to eat alongside the meat.

Sirloin gyukatsu and the three sauces

The sirloin gyukatsu finally arrived 🥩 Only the outside was browned, so at a glance it looked like the inside would still be juicy. Doesn't it look so appetizing 🤍 It came with three sauces too — a ponzu-style sauce, a sweet-spicy chili sauce, and wasabi salt for a clean finish! Each sauce tasted different, so it was fun trying them all according to my mood.

Good things deserve a closer look 👀 You could see the juicy cut of meat peeking through the golden crust, and up close it looked even more appetizing :)

The karaage and shrimp tempura sides

The karaage and shrimp tempura we ordered as sides also arrived. Both were fried up crispy, and they came with tartar sauce, which added a nutty, mellow flavor when dipped.

Grilling the gyukatsu in Isigny butter: how was the texture?

Oh, and the butter that came with the gyukatsu caught my eye — it was Isigny butter, basically the Hermès of butter. Seeing that butter got my expectations up 🧚🏻

They melted the Isigny butter on the tabletop grill first, then placed the sirloin gyukatsu pieces on one by one. Once the butter melted a bit on the grill plate and we started grilling the meat, a nutty aroma rose up, and the visual alone had me pretty excited.

Grill both sides lightly to your preferred doneness and it's done ✨ But even though it looked tender on the outside, a few pieces turned out chewy, which was a bit disappointing... Still, overall it was delicious haha

Is Ichigyu Gangnam Sinnonhyeon Branch worth a visit?

Overall, Ichigyu Gangnam Sinnonhyeon Branch was a fun, different way to enjoy lunch thanks to grilling the gyukatsu yourself. With sirloin gyukatsu, karaage, shrimp tempura, and a variety of sauces to mix and match, it was a great way to enjoy a varied meal ☺️ Being able to grill it yourself to your preferred doneness is especially a fun point for anyone who loves gyukatsu. If you're looking for a restaurant near Sinnonhyeon Station or a gyukatsu spot in Gangnam, give Ichigyu Gangnam Sinnonhyeon Branch a try 🌟