This 30-year-old tonkatsu restaurant is almost a landmark in the Seongbuk-dong area. Originally well known to taxi drivers (who seem to always know of all the good places around town), the restaurant’s popularity has grown to include a diverse wave of hungry visitors over the decades (note that while its sign is hung above a convenience store, the restaurant with a small garden actually lies behind it). Once placing your order and taking a seat, you'll find some kkakdugi kimchi, ssamjang and soup immediately served on your table. As for the soup, it wasn’t as thick as I expected, but the overall taste wasn’t all too bad for what it is, the typical instant kind you'd find at cheap eateries.
What the restaurant is known for is its thin and large Wang Tonkatsu made with pork sirloin (the meat isn’t pounded in the traditional way but rather is stretched after cuts are made). Sauce comes poured on the tonkatsu but batter is still nice and crispy. The sauce and the dressing on top of the thinly sliced cabbage that comes as a side are, however, a bit too sweet. The portion is definitely large, while the kkakdugi, fresh green chili and ssamjang on the side add a refreshing spice. After finishing your meal here, you'll for sure be full—taking a stroll to the nearby Gilsangsa Temple or Korea Furniture Museum (which provides a quite scenic tour) would be a good way to get a little after-meal exercise.