Japanese restaurant near Balsan Station for raw-egg steak-don: Ichigyu

A review of the mood and vibe at Ichigyu, a Balsan Station Japanese restaurant, after a date-night visit

I wanted to enjoy something special and delicious with my husband, so today I'm sharing our review of Ichigyu near Balsan Station.

From the calm, atmospheric interior to the neatly composed menu, this place lived up to its reputation as a great Balsan Station date spot — we had a really enjoyable meal.

What Ichigyu Balsan Station Branch looks like inside: wood tones and a mini burner per table

Ichigyu Balsan Station Branch is a Japanese restaurant where the soft wood-toned interior and warm lighting catch your eye first. The tables were spaced generously and everything was kept spotless, making it a really nice spot for quiet conversation.

Each table came set up with a mini grill for cooking your own gyukatsu and steak, which really carried through that neat, refined feel unique to Japanese dining.

The gyukatsu set: beef grilled in Isigny butter and dipped in wasabi

At Ichigyu we ordered a nice variety of their signature dishes. First off, they bring the rice out in an adorable little pot (and apparently it's refillable!).

The gyukatsu set. Crisp on the outside, tender on the inside — Japanese-style beef cutlet, gyukatsu! Fresh beef coated in a thin layer of breading and fried briefly at high heat, so the crust stays crunchy and savory while the inside comes out medium-rare.

Inside the crisp crust sits a thick, soft slab of medium-rare beef with that bright pink center. You can grill it on the personal griddle over the mini fire to whatever doneness you like,

and once you add a bit of French Isigny butter, it sizzles as it melts and the beef's rich, juicy flavor really comes through.

The savory flavor and melt-in-your-mouth texture, paired with a dab of wasabi, deepened the whole flavor even more.

The steak-don: sirloin mixed with raw egg yolk for a sweet-and-salty rice bowl

Steak-don (grill-your-own beef rice bowl) comes with thick-cut sirloin steak piled generously on top of the rice.

The outside is lightly seared, almost tataki-style, so you can grill it to your liking on the mini fire, or mix it all together with the raw egg yolk and sauce that come alongside for the perfect sweet-and-salty combo.

The chewy texture of the meat paired beautifully with the sharp bite of the garlic flakes.

An ice-cold Kirin Ichiban draft beer

No good meat dish is complete without a cold beer! A glass of Kirin Ichiban draft, with its soft foam and clean finish, paired wonderfully with both the gyukatsu and the steak-don.

Why Ichigyu works for a meal near Balsan Station

• Mini grills: the fun of cooking the meat yourself and the satisfaction of eating it warm all the way through
• A clean, complete set: salad, miso soup, tidy side dishes, wasabi and sauces all neatly arranged
• Great for dates and gatherings: the clean, quiet interior makes it a good spot for a couple's date or a special meal — we saw plenty of couples on dates, and even a few on blind dates

How to get to Ichigyu and where to park

Ichigyu Balsan Station Branch is located at 269-15 Gonghang-daero, Unit 211, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, South Korea. You can park in the basement of the Hillstate Eco officetel building where Ichigyu is located — just mention it at checkout so they can register your parking time.

Ichigyu, a gyukatsu specialist near Balsan Station, delivers on taste, atmosphere, and friendly service alike. If you're near Balsan Station looking for something special in Japanese food or a great date spot, this one's worth a visit.