Gan Shan — Restaurant in Asheville

Noodle issues, but great dumplings

I really enjoyed the original on Charlotte, and I very much wanted to like this one as well

I really like the set-up better here though; the counter-ordering eliminates a big wait, but I imagine in the summer there will still be a wait when more tourists arrive. We were traveling with some friends, and we had a variety of dumplings and ramens. We had a mixed night. We had some wonderful menu items, but then some menu items that really let us down, hence, the rating of a four.

Here are the pros and cons.

Pros: The order-yourself element really is great. The food is still brought out to the table, and, of course, you can grab water as you feel you need.

The outdoor courtyard is outstanding! It’s neither too fussy and formal nor too rustic. It’s simply feels like your dining on a friend's porch.

The dumplings were very good! The dumpling sauces were a highlight and were really on point!

Cons: Here is where we come to the main problem. The ramen noodles were not fresh and interesting, instead these were somewhat stuck together and almost felt packaged. The broths were good but the noodles themselves were a real disappointment.

Basically, the atmosphere was a five and the dumplings were a five and the sauces were a five, but the noodles were a three, dropping the rating down to a four. I’m hoping the chef just had an off-night or there was a problem with sourcing an ingredient. I will be back, and, of course, give this location a second try. There are so many wonderful noodle places in town that it’s tricky to not just go to another favorite, but I am willing to come back and see if the noodles were just...

I've eaten here way too many times to not give Gan Shan a stellar review. This is easily my go-to restaurant in town. I've had numerous nights getting off late at the hospital when I'm too tired to cook, and a hot bowl of ramen or a rice bowl is all that sounds good enough to take the edge off of working with psych patients.

I've truly never been disappointed eating here (or with a take-out order). One of my favorite things is that they have their staples on the menu: the ramen bowls, the rice bowls, dumplings, etc., but it's sweet to see some things rotate on and off the menu. It's what makes it feel like something extra special at times. It's clear that a lot of mindfulness and planning goes into the menu. When I eat this food, it feels like there's pure, bona fide love in it. When I think of places to go on a date, or when I have family in town, it's Gan Shan West or bust.

The staff here is also among the most kind and helpful in town. These folks combined with the overall environment of the restaurant truly separates this place from everything else around.

One other thing: when COVID hit, this place immediately took action to stay open AND safe. They have a perfect spot for outdoor seating, and they've nailed their to-go containers.

tldr; Gan Shan West is raising the bar for restaurants/ the service industry in Asheville.

Anyway, I can't believe that I woke up this morning with the inspiration to write a random Google review, but these folks are more than...

I don’t recall how we stumbled upon Gan Shan West or why the first time we tried it we ordered GSW rice bowls, but it has become our go-to for takeout. And I know that there are probably a lot of great things on their menu, but we fell in love with their rice bowls and we have a tendency to stick with things we like, so that’s what we’ve always ordered … with a side of spring rolls.

My wife and I have different tastes, which makes their custom tailored rice bowls perfect for us. She usually orders her’s with shrimp and broccoli or carrots. I get mine with either pulled pork or black bean chicken, and I add corn, shiitake mushrooms, and sometimes a marinated egg or peanuts. They cost about $20 a piece and the portion sizes are so generous that we get two meals each out of every order.

I know that what I’ve described so far doesn’t sound all that exciting … some rice with whatever extra you choose to add to it. What I don’t know exactly how to convey is how incredible the flavor is. As we’re eating, invariably one of us will say, “how do they do it?” I don’t know if it’s the chili oil or the kimchi or the pickles or the melding off all the ingredients they add, but the flavor is amazing. It has a little kick to it, but just enough to make it delicious and not painful.

As I said before, I’m confident there are a lot of great choices on their menu, but take my word for it, you can’t go wrong with the rice bowl …...