Boss Donkaz in Seoul
Tucked away in the hubbub of South Korea’s best women’s university, better known as Ewha Womans University, stands a homely pork cutlet restaurant by the name of Boss Donkaz. This old-school restaurant remains a favourite of many university students as it checks off the box of what these undergraduates look for: wallet-friendly and mouth-watering.
Homemade pork cutlet restaurant run by a family of 3
When we set foot into the restaurant, we were warmly greeted by an elderly couple. This got us wondering if Boss Donkaz is a family-run business, which turned out to be true as we conversed with the lady boss.
With family-run restaurants dwindling, the sight of the elderly couple working alongside their son was rather heartwarming.
Don’t worry if you can’t read Korean as you can inquire the amiable owners about the menu. They may not be able to converse in English, but their son is there to offer assistance.
Given that the restaurant specialises in handmade pork cutlet, expect to find a wide range of cutlet dishes here. From sirloin pork cutlet KRW8,500 (~USD6.19) to even fish cutlet (KRW9,000, ~USD6.55), there’s bound to be a dish that will tickle your fancy.
Besides, there are noodle dishes priced between KRW6,500 (~USD4.73) and KRW8,500 (~USD6.19) with dry and soup options to choose from.
During the winter, we encourage you to get a bowl of piping-hot fish cake udon (KRW6,500, ~USD4.73), whereas a bowl of icy cold naengmyeon (KRW8,500, ~USD6.19), also known as buckwheat noodles, is ideal for the sultry summer weather.
Here’s a tip: travellers who are pressed for time can opt for takeouts when making their orders at the kiosk station.
A generous amount of serving size & side dishes
Covered in a thin layer of fried batter and drenched in homemade sauce, the tenderloin pork cutlet (KRW9,000, ~USD6.55) is many customers’ go-to order. This is because the dish tastes familiar to them, and yet it’s delicious.
Fun fact: a pork cutlet meal like the one served at Boss Donkaz is referred to as a western-style cutlet meal in Korea. This is because every set is accompanied by a plain bread, shredded cabbage salad, a small portion of corn, and a bowl of cream soup.
Dipping plain bread in cream soup is part of the old-school experience of having pork cutlet in Korea. Additionally, the smooth texture of the soup provides a good balance to the deep-fried batter.
Better yet, there’s a self-service corner where you can have an unlimited amount of side dishes, including pickles and kkakdugi, also known as cubed radish kimchi. We strongly recommend you try kkakdugi with pork cutlet as it’s one of the best food pairings you can get.
Saving the best for the last is this free-flowing soup that is indispensable to the pork cutlet meal. Just think of it as a clear udon soup with bits of spring onion and dried seaweed.
We visited the restaurant during the monsoon season, and the weather called for 3 servings of this glorious bowl of goodness.
Unique pork cutlet fillings such as sweet potato
If you consider yourself an adventurous foodie, give the sweet potato cheese pork cutlet (KRW11,000, ~USD8) a shot for a magical blend of sweet and savoury.
Since the serving size is huge, we encourage those with a dainty appetite to order 1 set and share with their travel buddy.
We couldn’t stop ourselves from trying the cheese pull, and to our surprise, the amount of stuffed mozzarella cheese was legit. This dish is one of the best-selling items on the menu, so save yourself the trouble of debating which cutlet meal to order if you can’t make up your mind.
Those who enjoy a tinge of spice can go for the spicy pork cutlet (KRW9,500, ~USD6.91). Note that there’s chicken cutlet (KRW9,000, ~USD6.55) available if you prefer chicken to pork.
Getting to Boss Donkaz
Boss Donkaz is the place to drop by in the midst of your shopping spree around the Ewha neighbourhood to rest your feet and to get some delicious pork cutlets or noodles.
How to get there:
- Head to Exit 2 of Ewha Womans University station.
- Walk straight ahead for about 300m.
- When you see Olive Young, turn to your left.
Address: 11 Ewhayeodae 7-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul
Opening hours: 10pm-9pm, Daily
Contact: 02-313-2280
Also check out:
- Kkangtong Mandu: restaurant that serves legit handmade dumplings
- London Bagel Museum: cafe with unique speciality bagels
- Bangi-ok: retro Korean BBQ restaurant
- Han River Park Guide: food delivery & bicycle rental
- Object: stationery store in seoul that sells utensils & accessories
Cover image adapted from: TSL
Drop us your email so you won't miss the latest news.
