Yongsan pork cutlet restaurant: cheddar cheese and green citrus soba

I visited Yongsan Donkatsu Onjeong Gyeongyang Sikdang, Yongsan branch (용산돈까스온정경양식당 용산점) because I wanted crisp Gyeongyang-style pork cutlet. The restaurant serves pork cutlet made with Dodram Korean pork, and this time I ordered the cheddar cheese donkatsu and cheonggyul (green citrus) cold buckwheat soba as a set.

Where is the restaurant, and until when can you order?

The restaurant is at 341 Baekbeom-ro, Richensia Building B, 1F, Unit 107, Yongsan-gu, Seoul. The hours listed in the original post were Tuesday through Sunday, 11:00–21:00, with last orders at 20:00.

It is near the Samgakji overpass, with Wonhyo-ro 1-dong Community Service Center and Wonhyo-ro Post Office nearby. When I checked the map, the bus stop appeared to be closest, and among subway stations, the station near Hyochang Park looked closer than Samgakji Station.

What were the seating and evening atmosphere like?

I hurried over after work and arrived just before last orders. There were not many diners at the time, but delivery orders kept coming in and many drivers came to pick up food. The staff were kind.

The interior was fairly tidy, and baskets under the chairs made it convenient to store belongings. There were window seats and tables for two and four, so it looked suitable for dining alone or visiting with friends or family.

What did I order, and what came with it?

The pork cutlet options included Gyeongyang-style pork cutlet, Onjeong spicy pork cutlet, cheddar cheese pork cutlet, and Onjeong curry pork cutlet. There were two noodle dishes—yubu eomuk udon (udon with fried tofu and fish cake) and green citrus cold buckwheat soba—and pork cutlet and noodles could be ordered as a set. The menu was simple and easy to choose from, and I chose the cheddar cheese pork cutlet and green citrus cold buckwheat soba.

After a short wait, my pork cutlet and soba arrived with mushroom soup, a roll, and salad. Danmuji (yellow pickled radish), kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi), strawberry jam, and wasabi were also on the table.

How were the green citrus cold buckwheat soba and mushroom soup?

I started with the green citrus cold buckwheat soba. The tsuyu broth was not overly salty, with a subtle green citrus aroma and flavor. The noodles were cooked to a comfortable texture. However, the green citrus itself was quite sour when I picked it up and ate it.

The mushroom soup was memorable because I could see large mushroom pieces when I scooped it up. It felt like care had gone into the side dishes as well, and I enjoyed the soup.

How did the cheddar cheese pork cutlet taste, and what was the drawback?

The cheddar cheese sauce was less salty than I expected, while still having a rich cheese flavor. I was told that the owner personally shapes and trims the pork cutlets, and the crisp breading and pork flavor came through clearly.

The salad came with green citrus dressing. I enjoyed it with the pork cutlet.

Instead of strawberry jam, I dipped the roll in the remaining cheddar cheese sauce. They went together well enough that I used the bread to wipe up the sauce left on the plate. The sauce did leave my mouth feeling slightly heavy, but drinking the green citrus cold buckwheat soba broth helped freshen it up.

After this set, I wanted to try the standard Gyeongyang-style pork cutlet next time. On my way out, I noticed a pun on the business-hours sign hanging on the door, which made me laugh. The food and that small detail made it a comfortable meal that stayed with me.