Sinsa Station after-work katsu, cheese sauce fries: Ikki Roll Katsu

My after-work katsu spot near Sinsa Station: Ikki Roll Katsu Garosu-gil Main Branch

I was craving katsu so badly that I changed direction on the way home from work. There's a katsu place near Sinsa Station that I personally vouch for. I go at least once a month, so today I'm going to introduce it properly.

Where is Ikki Roll Katsu Garosu-gil Main Branch and how to get there

Ikki Roll Katsu Garosu-gil Main Branch (이끼롤까스 가로수길본점) is in the basement of a building on Garosu-gil, so you just head down the stairs. It's the first place I'd tell anyone looking for good katsu near Sinsa Station. Posters for the chicken cheese roll katsu and sweet potato cheese katsu are on the entrance wall, so it's easy to spot.

When you reach the bottom of the stairs, a wooden sign greets you. It says "Roll Cutlet Cuisine," so you can tell right away it's a roll katsu specialist.

Opening hours and waiting times: when to go

Ikki Roll Katsu Garosu-gil Main Branch is open from 11:30 a.m. to 9:20 p.m. At lunch there are lots of office workers from nearby, so I'd recommend going a little early. I went around 6 p.m. on a weekday and got a seat right away with no wait.

A small Ikki (moss) sign also hangs at the shop entrance. It's wrapped in green leaf decorations, which makes the place feel cute and charming.

What is the atmosphere like at Ikki Roll Katsu Garosu-gil?

Inside, wooden shelves fill one whole wall. Bowls and jar props sit on them, so it feels a bit like a café. The big wooden table in the middle looks roomy enough for a large group. You can feel the care put into every little prop, so just looking around was fun.

The ceiling is exposed, but the lighting is warm so it doesn't feel cold. All the chairs are wood, so everything looks neat and unified. Best of all, the tables are spaced widely, so you don't have to worry about the next table. Even though it's a basement, it doesn't feel stuffy, so it was comfortable to sit for a long time.

The blue painting on the wall is a focal point and great for photos. Every table has a tablet, so you order right from your seat. It works for a date or with friends. It's also an easy stop while strolling Garosu-gil. Weekends can have a wait, so keep that in mind.

Black rice and broccoli cream soup self-bar, plus the crank-handle jangguk

Ikki Roll Katsu Garosu-gil Main Branch has a self-bar where you serve yourself black rice and broccoli cream soup. It's one of the reasons I love this place. You can take as much as you want, which feels generous to me. The soup is warm and nutty, and a bowl before the meal settles your stomach. If you need more rice, you just go get it without feeling awkward, which put me at ease.

Side dishes are self-serve too. The seasoned radish (musaengchae) goes quite well with the katsu.

A sign on the jangguk (clear soup) dispenser says it tastes better if you turn the handle clockwise. I was skeptical at first, but after turning it the ingredients seem to mix evenly. It's a small bit of fun, so I turn it every time I go. The jangguk isn't salty and is subtle, great for cleansing your palate between bites of katsu. My companion found it fascinating and turned it several times.

Ikki Roll Katsu cheese sauce fries: more a main than a side

At Ikki Roll Katsu Garosu-gil Main Branch, the cheese sauce fries came out before the main dishes. I always order the fries when I come here. The yellow cheese sauce is poured on until it covers the top. Parsley is sprinkled over it too, so it passed on looks alone.

When you pick one up, the sauce follows it in long strands like this. The fries are thick, so they don't go soggy quickly even with the sauce. They're salty and nutty, and I kept reaching for more. The cheese sauce is smooth rather than greasy, so kids would like it too. Crispy outside and fluffy inside is exactly my style. The portion is generous enough for two to share. With a cola, they just kept going down. At other katsu places the fries feel like a side, but here they're main-level.

How do the curry sauce katsu and sweet potato cheese roll katsu taste?

The katsu at Ikki Roll Katsu comes on a long ceramic plate with black rice and cabbage salad all at once. Even among katsu places near Sinsa Station, I think it's rare to find one plated this prettily. I didn't know katsu could look this nice, and I spent a good while just taking photos.

Pork katsu smothered in curry sauce

What I picked was the katsu topped with plenty of curry sauce. It has big pieces of green pepper, onion and bell pepper, so there's a lot to chew on. The sauce was generous enough to dip until the very last bite.

Sweet potato cheese roll katsu, my companion's pick

I stole a bite of my companion's sweet potato cheese roll katsu too. Yellow sweet potato mousse is piped in waves, topped with dots of corn and bell pepper. Cheese is spread underneath, so you get sweet and nutty flavors together. If you like sweet-and-salty, this one may suit you better.

When I picked up a piece, I could see the meat rolled up in layers. It's thick, so one bite fills your mouth. Even soaked in sauce, the coating doesn't peel off easily. The meat isn't dry but moist, and you taste the juices the more you chew.

Best combo: katsu topped with seasoned radish

I put the seasoned radish from the self-bar on the roll katsu. The tangy, spicy flavor wipes out any greasiness, so the combo worked. Try it whenever katsu starts feeling heavy. At other katsu places I often got sick of it halfway and left some, but that has never happened here.

The breadcrumbs are coarse and stand up, so you hear a crunch when you bite. The plus is that you get crispy and juicy on one plate. The frying oil is clean too, so I didn't feel bloated afterward.

Rose-shaped salmon salad with crackers and cream cheese

The salmon salad we ordered alongside has salmon rolled up like a rose, a sight that lifts your mood just by looking. It comes topped with cherry tomatoes, almonds, capers and dried fruit, with crackers on the side. I figured katsu alone would feel heavy, so I ordered it, and it was an excellent choice.

Picking up the vegetables, each one is crisp and fresh. The dressing is sweet and tangy, nice for a palate break between katsu bites. There's a variety of leafy greens, so the texture never gets boring. Not a single leaf was wilted, so I figured they take good care of their ingredients.

I piled white cream cheese onto the crackers next to the salad. Mild crackers plus smooth cheese turned out to be a surprising treat. Alternating with the salad made it feel like a course meal. The crackers were crunchy and added a nice texture accent.

I picked up salmon and lettuce together in one bite. The salmon is soft with no fishy taste, so it goes well with the salad. The purple onion brings freshness the more you chew. The salty capers match the salmon nicely, and that one wrap disappeared fast.

How much should two people order?

Portions at Ikki Roll Katsu Garosu-gil Main Branch are generous, so two mains and two sides for two people will fill you up. Even after eating for a long time, the coating didn't go soggy easily. With the black rice, it was a hearty meal.

I ate the last piece loaded with sauce. Topping it with the vegetable chunks let me enjoy it to the end. Once again I left with a clean plate. Good taste, big portions and a tidy atmosphere keep me coming back. If you're looking for good katsu near Sinsa Station, definitely try Ikki Roll Katsu Garosu-gil Main Branch. Next month I'll probably be here again, ordering the fries first, haha.

Ikki Roll Katsu Garosu-gil Main Branch: hours and info

• Name: Ikki Roll Katsu Garosu-gil Main Branch (이끼롤까스 가로수길본점)
• Location: 64 Gangnam-daero 152-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, B1
• Sun–Mon: 11:30–21:20 (break time 15:00–16:00, last order 20:50)
• Tue–Fri: 11:30–21:20 (last order 20:50)