Geomdan tonkatsu shop comparing katsu cuts over cold soba: HOKATSU

HOKATSU

If you're looking for a good tonkatsu (Japanese-style pork cutlet) restaurant in Geomdan, this is one worth knowing about. This time I visited HOKATSU, a small tonkatsu place tucked into the Geomdan neighborhood of Incheon. It didn't look like a huge, famous spot at first, but there was actually a wait when I got there.

What kind of restaurant is HOKATSU on Seogot-ro in Geomdan?

It's a small neighborhood place, but seeing people keep coming back made me wonder just how good the food had to be to make them wait haha.

And after actually eating there, I thought — ah, this is genuinely a hidden gem.

Why there is almost always a wait at HOKATSU

There was a wait when I visited HOKATSU. The restaurant isn't big or flashy, so the fact that people still wait made me even more curious. I used to think tonkatsu tasted more or less the same wherever you got it.

These days, though, tonkatsu places really do differ a lot depending on the aging method, the frying technique, and the cut of meat. HOKATSU in particular had a clear signature of its own.

It's yogurt-aged tonkatsu!

Have you tried tonkatsu aged in yogurt?

At first I thought, wait, they age tonkatsu in yogurt? What kind of combination is that? Honestly I had my doubts, but after eating it, the meat was surprisingly tender with good flavor. Tonkatsu can get tough or have a strong meaty smell that makes you tired of it after a few bites, but HOKATSU had much less of that.

Crispy outside, moist inside — it felt like the cooking method really brought out the flavor of the meat itself. I could see why this point of difference has made it a well-known spot in Geomdan.

Before the main dish arrives, the restaurant serves its own house-made yogurt as a starter. I first assumed it was just a small extra, but it turned out to be delicious in its own right.

HOKATSU loin katsu: what the cut tastes like

A dish that tasted even better than usual today — I usually prefer loin when I eat tonkatsu, so I ordered the loin katsu this time too, and it was especially good today.

The nutty flavor came through nicely and the juiciness held up well. It wasn't overly greasy — more of a moderate, savory-but-clean balance.

Crispy outside and tender inside, so the texture worked for me too. With tonkatsu, if the batter is too thick it can bury the meat's flavor, but here the balance between meat and batter was just right. You can probably see the crispiness of the batter better in the photos.

Eating the loin katsu that day, I thought, yep, I'm definitely a loin person — but the dish that came next changed my mind haha.

Rice and soup come as standard. Is it just me, or does having rice and soup with your tonkatsu just make you feel more settled lol. HOKATSU also includes rice and soup as standard, which made it feel like a proper full meal.

Half-and-half tenderloin and cheese katsu: tenderloin wins today

This time I ordered a half-and-half of tenderloin and cheese katsu. There was one genuinely unexpected standout here — the tenderloin katsu.

I usually consider myself a loin person, so I like loin more than tenderloin as a rule. But the tenderloin katsu that day was seriously amazing.

One bite in and I was like, huh? Tenderloin's the winner today? lol. The tender texture was great, and the clean, mild flavor of the meat itself came through clearly.

So today, at least, I'm casting my vote for tenderloin.

If you want to compare tonkatsu cuts side by side among Geomdan's restaurants, try ordering loin and tenderloin together. Your preference will probably come out pretty clearly.

Cheese katsu you keep reaching for even if cheese katsu isn't your thing

Honestly, I'm not really a big cheese katsu person. When there's too much cheese or it's too heavy, I usually lose interest after a couple bites. But whenever I come to HOKATSU, I always order the cheese katsu. It's strange — HOKATSU's cheese katsu felt distinctly different from other cheese katsu I've had.

The nutty richness of the cheese paired well with the tonkatsu, and the whole thing felt fairly refined. It wasn't too intense or greasy — more of a savory-yet-clean flow. If you're someone who doesn't usually like cheese katsu, I'd actually recommend giving this one a try.

Even someone like me who's not into cheese katsu kept reaching for more, haha.

Cold soba with a gentle perilla oil aroma

I also ordered the cold soba. Honestly, I figured a tonkatsu place's cold soba couldn't be that different from anywhere else's.

But this too turned out to be a totally different experience. The clean soba noodles had a subtle hint of perilla oil that gave it a nutty aroma. It wasn't overly oily — the flavor finished clean, which paired really well with the tonkatsu.

Taking a bite of soba between bites of tonkatsu refreshed my palate, and the combination worked really well. Even the cold soba alone would make for a satisfying, light meal.

Next time I might come back just for the cold soba, no tonkatsu needed.

Three reasons to recommend HOKATSU in Geomdan

Here are the three things I personally liked, based on what I ate.

• First, the clear point of difference: yogurt-aged tonkatsu.
• Second, the loin, tenderloin, and cheese katsu all have their own distinct appeal.
• Third, it's not just the tonkatsu — the cold soba is delicious too.

Usually when one dish is great, the rest of the menu is just okay. But at HOKATSU, everything I ordered was satisfying overall.

Honest review of HOKATSU: the good and the disappointing

To be honest about the good points first: the tonkatsu was clearly great, and I liked the balance between the meat and the batter. The tenderloin katsu and cheese katsu especially stuck with me, and the cold soba was good too, so there was a nice range of choices. On the downside, the restaurant isn't very big, so there can be a wait. If you're planning to visit, it might help to avoid peak hours.

I actually liked the feeling of care that comes with a small, hands-on kitchen. If you're looking for a Geomdan restaurant but want something a bit more special than the usual tonkatsu spot, I'd recommend HOKATSU. It's a small tonkatsu place tucked into the Geomdan neighborhood of Incheon, but after eating there, I understood why there's a wait.