A 'tiny gem' Glasgow restaurant is so popular it was mentioned in The New York Times.
It's not often a humble neighbourhood eatery becomes known and recognised on an international scale but for one Chinese restaurant in the Southside, their recipes have earned them a shout-out across the pond.
Located in Cathcart (but with plans to move to a bigger unit), The Real Wan is a small kitchen with less than half a dozen tables.
Chef Lea Wu has been bringing the smells, tastes and atmosphere of China's street food to Glasgow since 2020.
In 2023, the American publication presented their perfect vision of how to spend 36 hours in Glasgow.
Among visits to the Burrell Collection and Pollok Park, the author's first stop for food was The Real Wan.
"A steamed-up restaurant window strung with Chinese lanterns promises a satisfying meal on a cold Glasgow night, and the Real Wan does not disappoint," it reads.
"In the Cathcart area of the Southside, this tiny gem, modelled on a street-food cafe, draws customers from across the city.
"The unfussy décor and great, affordable food in a shoebox space is typical of Glasgow’s do-it-yourself spirit.
"Its young head chef Lea Wu Hassan sends out smoky-flavored southern Guizhou dishes, hand-pulled noodles and house-made chile oils and sauces from an elbow-to-elbow kitchen."
Their favourite dishes include the chunky geda noodles and the 'fabulous' caramel-coated pork ribs flash-fried in aged dark vinegar - a recipe inherited from Lea's aunt.
It's no wonder the food is so revered - when Lea opened The Real Wan, she did so with a strong desire to offer something different to the typical Chinese takeaway food we eat so often in the UK.
"I worried that people wouldn’t warm to it," she told us in 2022.
“But, on the very first day we opened, there were people queuing down the street."
The future looks bright for The Real Wan, as plans are still underway to move to a new space in Mount Florida.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel