Gan Shan West
Gan Shan West is an Asian Fusion restaurant in West Asheville off Haywood Road, wedged in between Owl Bakery and Pizza Mind.
It’s the sister restaurant of Gan Shan Station off Charlotte St.
Parking is in the lot on the corner where Pizza Mind is, or they’ve also got street parking out front too.
I decided to check out Gan Shan West because I’d been cyber stalking them their IG for a while after I stumbled upon them on a trip to OWL Bakery (they share the same outdoor space).
Plus, I was really hungry and craving ramen. They've got lots of nomz food such as dumplings, Japanese fries, rice bowls, and vegan options such as steam buns with seitan!
Grab a menu on the cute little table to the left when you walk in (or check it out on their website before you go ;) and order at the counter when you're ready.
The interior decor of Gan Shan West is cute and chic - with leafy wallpaper, chairs that look kinda like bamboo trees, and fun Asian Star Wars posters.
It was pretty chilly inside (which is nice on a hot day), but I suggest bringing a sweater and/or Kimono (or just ordering a hot tea) to keep you toasty.
I had a Blueberry Iced Tea to drink that tasted like fresh bluebs, it was perfect for my drive home on the humid summer day that I went. You can get it with (or without) sugar - I suggest with.
In addition to hot and iced tea, they’ve also got wine, beer, cold sake and kombucha to quench your thirst.
To start, I had a Pork Dumpling made from local pork. It was spicy with a ton of flavor and fresh seasoning. It was the perfect combination of dry and moist too, with the sauce and pork mixture. The pickles that came on the side tasted super fancy and had just the right amount of sweet to them- not your average pickles.
My bowl of Veggie Ramen that I had as my entree was huge; as soon as they delivered it to my table I knew I was going to have to take the leftovers home.
It was packed with veggies like bok choy, shiitake mushrooms, squash and onions that had a rich flavor and were full of yum tasting seasoning. The tofu was crunchy and complimented the ramen well. The noodles themselves were super scrumptious- definitely not like the ramen I overdosed on in college (because I ate too much of it mixed with a large bag of Swedish Fish, don’t judge),
The guy that delivered my food was super nice and attentive and brought me a napkin without me even asking for one. I definitely needed it- by the time I left I had dumpling sauce dripping all over my face.
On that note- luckily; Gan Shan West has chopsticks *and* forks to eat with - perfect for my uncoordinated self.
I started eating with the chopsticks and then transitioned into using the fork (my usual MO).
Gan Shan West is no run of the mill City Wok, you don’t bus your own table here, and- I suggest not attempting to; they might think you’re stealing the dishes.
The only complaint I have about Gan Shan West is that there’s no EWok posters (they’re my fave) #ewoksforlife
Tip; I suggest bringing a mini travel toothbrush if you’re going on a date; I had mass amounts of dumpling stuck to my teeth by the time I left.
Gan Shan West is open every day of the week (sans Sunday) from 11:30-10.
Nomz.
It’s the sister restaurant of Gan Shan Station off Charlotte St.
Parking is in the lot on the corner where Pizza Mind is, or they’ve also got street parking out front too.
I decided to check out Gan Shan West because I’d been cyber stalking them their IG for a while after I stumbled upon them on a trip to OWL Bakery (they share the same outdoor space).
Plus, I was really hungry and craving ramen. They've got lots of nomz food such as dumplings, Japanese fries, rice bowls, and vegan options such as steam buns with seitan!
Grab a menu on the cute little table to the left when you walk in (or check it out on their website before you go ;) and order at the counter when you're ready.
The interior decor of Gan Shan West is cute and chic - with leafy wallpaper, chairs that look kinda like bamboo trees, and fun Asian Star Wars posters.
It was pretty chilly inside (which is nice on a hot day), but I suggest bringing a sweater and/or Kimono (or just ordering a hot tea) to keep you toasty.
I had a Blueberry Iced Tea to drink that tasted like fresh bluebs, it was perfect for my drive home on the humid summer day that I went. You can get it with (or without) sugar - I suggest with.
In addition to hot and iced tea, they’ve also got wine, beer, cold sake and kombucha to quench your thirst.
To start, I had a Pork Dumpling made from local pork. It was spicy with a ton of flavor and fresh seasoning. It was the perfect combination of dry and moist too, with the sauce and pork mixture. The pickles that came on the side tasted super fancy and had just the right amount of sweet to them- not your average pickles.
My bowl of Veggie Ramen that I had as my entree was huge; as soon as they delivered it to my table I knew I was going to have to take the leftovers home.
It was packed with veggies like bok choy, shiitake mushrooms, squash and onions that had a rich flavor and were full of yum tasting seasoning. The tofu was crunchy and complimented the ramen well. The noodles themselves were super scrumptious- definitely not like the ramen I overdosed on in college (because I ate too much of it mixed with a large bag of Swedish Fish, don’t judge),
The guy that delivered my food was super nice and attentive and brought me a napkin without me even asking for one. I definitely needed it- by the time I left I had dumpling sauce dripping all over my face.
On that note- luckily; Gan Shan West has chopsticks *and* forks to eat with - perfect for my uncoordinated self.
I started eating with the chopsticks and then transitioned into using the fork (my usual MO).
Gan Shan West is no run of the mill City Wok, you don’t bus your own table here, and- I suggest not attempting to; they might think you’re stealing the dishes.
The only complaint I have about Gan Shan West is that there’s no EWok posters (they’re my fave) #ewoksforlife
Tip; I suggest bringing a mini travel toothbrush if you’re going on a date; I had mass amounts of dumpling stuck to my teeth by the time I left.
Gan Shan West is open every day of the week (sans Sunday) from 11:30-10.
Nomz.
