GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — There is no shortage of incredible restaurants in Grand Rapids. But with so many options, how do you choose where to indulge? We — 13 ON YOUR SIDE digital producers Riley and Amy — have set out to find the tastiest spots in the area and are documenting our journey with a series called 13 Eats.
13 Eats is all about highlighting the best restaurants in the Grand Rapids area. This week, we’re getting fired up with some Asian-American specialties at Gaslight Kitchen Asian Cuisine.
About Gaslight Kitchen Asian Cuisine
Gaslight Village in East Grand Rapids is a little slice of upscale paradise, filled with shops, markets and a whole bunch of eateries. Located right in the middle of it all is Gaslight Kitchen Asian Cuisine, a family-owned restaurant serving Asian-American classics. With 20 years of experience and 100 dishes on the menu, this sun-soaked corner restaurant has a little something for everyone.
The Food
We started our meal with the Combination Platter for 2 ($16.25), which is an assortment of appetizers including fried dumpling, fried shrimp, eggroll, shrimp toast, fried wontons and bali bali beef. When the tray arrived, we spun it around, taking in the rotating wheel of fried goodness surrounding the mini grill in the center.
Each of the appetizers were better than the last, especially when paired with the platter of dipping sauces on the side. Amy’s favorite was the fried shrimp, which was soft on the inside with a delicious layer of fried goodness. Riley’s, on the other hand, was the fried dumpling, which had a thin layer of the crunchy coating with a savory beef and vegetable mix inside.
To add to the fun of this dish, we were able to take the beef skewers and char them to perfection on the small flame in front of us. The beef skewers were sizzling when we removed them from the heat, with a tender inside and a salty, crunchy exterior. We highly recommend ordering this dish to anyone, but especially those who bring a big appetite.
Next, we chowed on the egg drop soup, which comes with their lunch specials. And let us just say, this soup was immaculate. Though simple, it was salty, savory, brothy goodness with delicious golden bits of egg and chives that we know we will be craving for many days to come.
By the time our meal arrived, our bellies were already filling up. We went with a classic, Sweet and Sour Chicken, which is served with crab rangoon, an eggroll and fried rice ($10.50). The chicken was lightly fried with a tender interior, while the sauce was perfectly balanced and had us coming back for more. We could only get through half together before we got too full, but you better bet we packed up the leftovers and enjoyed them just as much the second time around.
►See the full menu here.
The Vibe
Gaslight Kitchen Asian Cuisine is located on the corner of a cute East GR strip mall. The outside is simple and chic, with big, bold windows lining the front. The huge sheets of glass allow light to flow into the eatery, providing a bright and airy atmosphere.
We liked the simple design of the interior, which felt clean and understated and truly allowed the food to pop! On top of it all, we really loved the kind, gentle staff who helped serve us heaps and heaps of delicious food.
Gaslight Kitchen Asian Cuisine: The Vibe
The Verdict
Would we recommend this sunshiny East GR spot? YES. Absolutely, definitely yes. Gaslight Kitchen Asian Cuisine perfectly mixes the classic with the modern, creating a beautifully balanced meal. The prices were good with the giant portions of food offered. All in all, we can feel and taste that everything the restaurant offers is a labor of love. We enjoyed the food and especially adored the creativity of the appetizer, which allowed us to be our own sous chefs.
If you’re looking for a place that serves up big flavor for a small price, you’ve found the holy grail in this small-but-mighty eatery nestled into a brick building on the corner of Wealthy and Lovett.
►Gaslight Kitchen Asian Cuisine is located at 2128 Wealthy Street SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506
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