Gyukatsu set lunch at a Seoul Square restaurant: Furato Shokudo

Furato Shokudo

How to walk from Seoul Station to Furato Shokudo at Seoul Square

My mom came up to Seoul and we ended up visiting this gyukatsu spot near Seoul Square, Furato Shokudo! It's connected to Seoul Station so we could walk over comfortably underground. (It connects right to the subway passage!)

What is Furato Shokudo like at 2pm?

Even though we went around 2pm, I was surprised at how many people were there. If we'd gone during peak hours, there probably would've been a wait or the place would've been packed.

The interior was clean and had that upscale Japanese restaurant feel.

Ordering by phone and what the set includes

At the Seoul Square branch, you order right from your phone using the table tag, and if you leave a review you can also get a mini karaage (fried chicken) or a drink.

Here are the signature menu items — ordering as a set is a bit cheaper, so we went with the combo: gyukatsu + steki set + 2 drinks.

What comes with the gyukatsu set, and how to grill it

Let me start with the gyukatsu: the set includes the cutlet, salad, rice, miso soup, plus sauces and pickled radish. I loved how many side dishes there were to pair with the gyukatsu.

The gyukatsu is fried crisp on the outside with juicy, tender meat inside — personally, I think gyukatsu tastes best when it's medium-rare, seared only on the outside. Also, since the breading gets soggy over time, it's important to eat it as fast as possible!!

How was the steki set at Furato Shokudo?

The steki (beef steak) set had the same components as the gyukatsu set.

Look at how gorgeous that steki meat looks, whoa. If you're not into fried food or you're watching your diet, I'd strongly recommend the steki set over the gyukatsu.

Gyukatsu or steki: my one pick, plus the butter tip

We grilled both the steki and gyukatsu sizzling on the brazier, and wow — both were so good I couldn't pick a winner. But if I had to choose one favorite... I think the gyukatsu edged it out slightly, since it has more texture to it (probably because you get both the crispy fried texture and the meat texture at once!)

The steki felt like eating high-quality Japanese-style beef, and if you want to enjoy it at its best, I'd recommend searing the steki only on the outside too rather than cooking it all the way through. We also added butter and brushed it on while grilling — this was seriously the best part! If you love that rich, savory flavor, definitely add the butter!

That's it for this gyukatsu spot near Seoul Square, Furato Shokudo — and I'd definitely go back next time I'm near Seoul Station.