Ilsan tonkatsu restaurant lunch with mom: premium loin katsu, Kitsuki

A review of Kitsuki, a tonkatsu restaurant I love on Ilsan's Bamridan-gil

Today I went back to a tonkatsu place on Ilsan's Bamridan-gil that I already visit often! This place is already so famous I almost don't need to post about it, but I'm writing this review for anyone who doesn't know it yet. It really tastes like the tonkatsu I had in Japan, so I highly recommend it!

Location and hours of Kitsuki Ilsan Bamridan-gil Branch

Kitsuki Ilsan Bamridan-gil Branch is on the 1st floor of 159 Sandu-ro, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do. It's open 11:30-20:00, parking is available, and pets are welcome too.

Kitsuki Ilsan Bamridan-gil Branch 📍1F, 159 Sandu-ro, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea ⏰11:30-20:00 🚘Parking available 🐶Pets allowed

There's a menu board out front that the owner wrote by hand, and the handwriting is so cute haha.

The menu is really varied, and it also explains exactly how each set comes out!

Full even on a weekday: inside Kitsuki and how to order

Inside Kitsuki there's a big table where everyone kind of sits together, and there are about 4-5 side tables too. I went on a weekday and it was still completely full.

You order using the tablet at your table, and payment goes through right away!

There's also water and paper cups, chopsticks, spoons, and vegetable sauce on the table.

Kitsuki Ilsan Bamridan-gil Branch menu and prices

• Roseu katsu (loin katsu) ₩13,000
• Sangloin katsu ₩16,000 (limit 1 per table)
• Hirekatsu (fillet katsu) ₩14,000
• Assorted katsu ₩18,000
• Mala yupo udon ₩15,000
• Perilla cream udon ₩13,000
• Curry udon ₩13,000

The tonkatsu is famous, and the curry is famous too!!

Trying the sangloin katsu, hirekatsu, and perilla cream udon

I ordered the sangloin katsu, hirekatsu, and perilla cream udon at Kitsuki.

Everything came out so prettily arranged as a full set on a wooden tray! The tonkatsu, rice, miso soup, and sauces all came together. The soup was so savory too — it tasted just like the soup I had in Japan, which made me really happy.

Just how tender is the hirekatsu?

The hirekatsu was really so tender. It practically disappeared the moment I took a bite? It was so soft it actually surprised me! If you like tender tonkatsu, I highly recommend this.

I usually like dipping my tonkatsu in Maldon salt, but this tonkatsu tasted great with any sauce, and it was delicious even without dipping it in anything! The outside was completely crispy and the inside was moist — not dry at all (՞•֊•՞)

How is sangloin katsu different from regular loin katsu?

Sangloin katsu is just bigger than the regular loin katsu, and it's made from a better cut! Each piece was huge. The portion was generous haha. I personally love the fatty part of tonkatsu the most, and here the meat and fat were in perfect balance, so it wasn't greasy at all and was delicious!

So how does the perilla cream udon taste?

And I really highly recommend the perilla cream udon. I actually thought about it again that same evening...👍 It's kind of spicy, kind of rich, all mixed together — a sort of luxurious flavor?

It's a cream pasta made with udon noodles and perilla sauce, which I think gives it a deeper flavor combined with the smooth cream. The chewy udon noodles meet the thick, nutty perilla, and the noodles soak up so much sauce that every bite is packed with rich flavor.

Great for a date, and just as great with mom

I'm planning to go back and eat there again next week haha. Kitsuki is already famous enough to have a wait on weekends... so please make sure to try it at least once haha.

Every dish comes out so beautifully and neatly plated, and everything is delicious, so it's perfect for a date too! I went with my mom, and she loved it as well. If you're craving tonkatsu on Ilsan's Bamridan-gil, make sure to visit Kitsuki!!