Chungmuro gyukatsu restaurant for a date: wasabi and beer, Hurato

Hurato Sikdang Euljiro: location and hours

Hurato Sikdang Euljiro (후라토식당 을지로점) is at 27 Mareunnae-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul, in Tower 107 Building, basement level 1, Unit B106. It is open daily 11:00–21:30 (last order 20:30, break time 15:00–17:00), and you can use the building's underground car park.

I was searching for a nice place to have a special meal with my partner when I came across Hurato Sikdang. I usually prefer clean, neat Japanese food, so I didn't hesitate to go. It's close to Euljiro 3-ga Station, so we took the subway, but you can also park in the basement of the building, so driving is no problem either!

It's in the basement of Tower 107, between Chungmuro and Euljiro, so access was really great. I'd been wondering where to go for a date, and I'd heard it's a go-to for gyukatsu (breaded beef cutlet) and Japanese-style omurice (omelet rice) in Euljiro, so I went in with high expectations.

I couldn't think of a better place to talk quietly over a meal. If you want to lift your mood with good food in the middle of a normal day, this place is a perfect fit.

Is Hurato Sikdang Euljiro a good place for a date?

The restaurant has a calm, modern feel, and every table has a mini grill, which makes it a great setting for a date. I really liked the interior. Even though it's underground, the floor-to-ceiling windows meant it didn't feel stuffy at all; it actually felt cozy. There are lots of tables too, so it can handle bigger groups.

A relaxed dinner instead of lunch: arriving right at 5 pm

At lunchtime Hurato is hugely popular with office workers from Chungmuro and Euljiro 3-ga who come for gyukatsu, and in the evening you can eat more leisurely. It's famous as a Chungmuro lunch spot, so lunch is lively, but I liked that it felt more relaxed when I visited in the evening. The location makes it easy to pick as a meeting place, and the clean interior kept me in a good mood the whole time. We came at 5 pm, right when break time ended, and the place filled up quickly.

How we ate the gyukatsu and steak set at Hurato

We ordered the signature gyukatsu and the steak set (Steki jeongsik), plus karaage (Japanese fried chicken) as a side. The table was filled up so temptingly.

Sirloin gyukatsu cooked to your liking on a personal grill

Hurato's gyukatsu uses fresh sirloin, and it came out crispy outside and juicy inside. Cooking it yourself on the personal mini grill to the doneness you like was a lot of fun. It was grilled so appetizingly!

The beef was tender with no gamey smell and practically melted in my mouth.

The steak set and the egg-and-wasabi combo

The juiciness and soft texture of the meat in Hurato's steak set made every bite a joy.

The combination of egg and wasabi was seriously good.

Beer and karaage with the gyukatsu

With a dish like gyukatsu, beer is a must, so of course we had a glass!

We also had karaage, which goes so well with beer, and the neat spread let us fully enjoy an Euljiro date mood. Putting the meat on the grill one piece at a time meant we could enjoy it warm down to the last bite, which I liked. Paired with the sauce, the flavor of the beef got even deeper. The food arrived tidily, so we could focus on talking and eat comfortably. Hurato nails both taste and atmosphere, and I found myself wanting to come back. I felt pleasantly full throughout the meal and had a really satisfying evening.

Next time: the Japanese-style omurice

This visit to Hurato Sikdang Euljiro was very satisfying, with great food and atmosphere. If I get the chance, I definitely want to come back and try their other signature dish, the Japanese-style omurice.