Just-opened Seolleung Japanese restaurant, mini braziers: Gyuen Dang

Gyuen Dang Seolleung Branch opened on September 5

Gyuen Dang Seolleung Branch is a Japanese restaurant that opened on September 5 at 26 Seolleung-ro 86-gil, 2nd floor, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Gyuen Dang is already well known for its main location, so as soon as I heard about the new Seolleung branch, I rushed over.

At the Seolleung branch you can enjoy delicious gyukatsu (beef cutlet) and omurice — a great lunch spot for office workers :)

Gyuen Dang Seolleung Branch opening hours and break time

• ⏰ Hours | 11:00-21:30 (22:00 on weekends)
• ✔️ Break time | 15:00-17:00
• ✔️ Last order | 1 hour before closing
• 📍 Location | 26 Seolleung-ro 86-gil, 2nd floor, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Inside the restaurant: a mini brazier at every table

Gyuen Dang Seolleung Branch balances regular 2-person and 4-person tables, making it a good fit for solo office workers near Seolleung Station, meals with coworkers, or dates alike :) I was struck by how neatly each table was set with its own mini brazier, ready for you to grill your gyukatsu exactly the way you like it.

What's on the menu at Gyuen Dang Seolleung Branch

• [Gyukatsu] Tenderloin gyukatsu / Sirloin gyukatsu
• [Omurice] Brie cheese omurice / Hambagu omurice
• [Rice bowls] Steak don / Tsukune don
• [À la carte] Potato curry / Hot udon

By the way, if you join the review event you even get a mini okonomiyaki 😜

We ordered the sirloin gyukatsu and the brie cheese omurice haha

How to eat gyukatsu (beef cutlet) at Gyuen Dang

<How to eat gyukatsu> 1. Try the first two pieces of meat on the heated brazier plain, as they are 2. Add a quarter of Isigny butter and grill it on the plate for extra richness 3. Wasabi, then salt, then the house sauce each bring out a different side of the meat 4. Ring the bell if you need the plate replaced

<How to grill the gyukatsu meat> 1. Grill each cut side for 15-20 seconds, front and back 2. The key is not cooking the beef through, but just searing the surface 3. Gyuen Dang's gyukatsu comes together through three things: distance from the heat, grilling time, and the sauce you choose

Grilling the sirloin gyukatsu on your own mini brazier

The sirloin gyukatsu at Gyuen Dang Seolleung Branch looked immaculate even in the plating. It comes with salad, wasabi, house sauce, salt, rice, and soup — a well-rounded set :)

You place it on your own brazier and grill it to whatever doneness you like!! The sizzle and the savory aroma the moment the meat hits the hot plate just made me want to eat more. The coating is thin and crispy with no greasiness at all, and the sirloin inside melts the second it hits your mouth. The rich juices and clean umami of the sirloin cut are outstanding, and dabbing on a little sharp fresh wasabi with the house soy sauce or salt brings out the meat's natural savoriness even more haha.

How to eat the omurice, and what brie cheese tastes like

<How to eat the omurice> 1. Gently cut it open so the egg unfolds slowly 2. Wait for the moment the egg naturally opens as the knife passes through 3. Pour the sauce so it flows over rather than covering it 4. It tastes best when you eat the egg, brie cheese (or hambagu), sauce, and rice all together in one bite

There was also an explanation of Gyuen Dang's brie cheese. Brie is a cheese aged with a white mold rind, a process in which the surface holds its shape while the inside slowly softens as it ripens, preserving the cheese's natural flavor.

Was the brie cheese omurice worth ordering?

Gyuen Dang Seolleung Branch's brie cheese omurice tops swirled egg with slices of brie cheese and a special demi-glace sauce. I've seen this kind of omurice at Japanese restaurants before, but this was the first time I'd seen brie cheese actually inside the omurice!!

Soft, fluffy swirled egg blanketed with savory brie cheese slices and the special demi-glace sauce — it already passes the test just on looks :) The brie cheese added even more softness, not to mention the egg itself haha. I ate this one in genuine awe!!

Looking for a good Japanese restaurant near Gangnam and Seolleung? How about giving Gyuen Dang a try this time?!