Free cabbage salad refills at Izawa, a Yeouido gyukatsu restaurant

Where is Izawa? 2nd floor of Yeoui Jonghap Sangga by Yeouido Station

I couldn't stop thinking about the gyukatsu I once had in Japan… so off I went to try the gyukatsu everyone raves about near Yeouido Station. It's right in front of the station, so easy to find. It's on the 2nd floor of Yeoui Jonghap Sangga — step off the elevator, turn right, and it's next to Bonjuk.

Izawa is a gyukatsu chain with branches all over, but this one is the direct-run store! Judging by the wall covered in celebrity autographs, plenty of famous faces have stopped by. And it looks like Lim Young-woong is basically a regular — his photos and signature are everywhere haha.

Izawa prices: 18,000 won gyukatsu, 36,500 won set with drinks

Gyukatsu is ₩18,000, but the set that comes with a drink is only ₩36,500 — total steal of a deal. They had both Zero Coke and Zero Cider. There are also non-fried menu items for people who aren't into fried food, plus a decent range of other dishes to choose from.

One grill per two people, and a nearly full room on a weeknight

The grill is shared between two people, and the heat is strong enough that one is plenty. I honestly wanted to take it home with me… I visited in the evening, and figured gyukatsu is more of a lunch craving so it'd be quiet, but nope! The place was almost fully booked. Clearly gyukatsu is in high demand.

Everything came out beautifully arranged on the table, making it great for a date or for chatting with a friend over a leisurely meal. Good news on the zero-sugar drinks front — both Zero Coke and Zero Cider were available. Zero Cider doesn't always seem to be in stock, so grab it while you can.

How big is one sirloin gyukatsu serving at Izawa?

The sirloin gyukatsu, ₩18,000 per serving, was a solid portion — paired with rice, it made for a filling meal. Just right for an adult woman's appetite. If you eat more, I'd recommend the larger portion or adding another dish. With a beer, this alone would be plenty satisfying.

Cabbage salad, side dishes and the warm broth

At a tonkatsu or gyukatsu place, satisfaction often comes down to how good the cabbage salad is — and Izawa's shredded cabbage was thin, tender, and genuinely delicious. The dressing had a nice nutty flavor too, love it.

The side dishes were a pickled-vegetable-style item along with diced radish kimchi, but the cabbage salad was so good that I barely bothered with the sides ㅜㅜ Izawa's cabbage salad near Yeouido Station is just that good ㅜㅜ

A warm broth also came out, which is perfect for opening up the palate before digging in!!

How to grill gyukatsu: crisp outside, just shy of done inside

The gyukatsu comes out rare inside, so you cook it on the grill to whatever doneness you like.

Gyukatsu batter always has this incredible savory depth, and Izawa's near Yeouido Station was no exception. The coating is crispy yet thin, keeping the texture light while letting the beef's flavor come through fully. Since it's beef, sometimes I just barely sear off the redness before eating…

Cooked like this — outside seared, inside just shy of fully done — it's the softest and tastiest. I tried it various ways depending on mood, but this exact doneness was the winner for me.

Crispy outside, juicy inside — it has a charm all its own that's different from regular tonkatsu, and I find myself craving it now and then.

Izawa's two sauces, plus wasabi dipped in salt

Two sauces were provided (something like soy sauce and a sesame sauce), plus wasabi and salt on the side… Personally, I love dipping gyukatsu in wasabi with a dab of salt. When you're eating something this good, you want to actually taste it, right!

The heat was strong enough that you could actually hear it sizzling. The gyukatsu I had in Japan was great, but the joy of eating this near Yeouido Station after work hit differently. The kind of flavor that washes away a whole day's exhaustion! Would've been even better with a beer, but I've been overdoing it lately so I held off.

Would I go back to Izawa? The verdict after a cabbage salad refill

The cabbage salad was so good I asked for a refill. I think I'll be back after work again sometime. It's close to the station too, so I'd definitely recommend it for anyone visiting Yeouido, or for office workers looking for a good lunch spot!!!!