Frank‘s bistro & Chinese cuisine 上水小馆 - Authentic Cantonese & Hunan Flavors in Lake Forest, CA

This has to be one of the best Chinese restaurants in the area. It really is good for this area. Highly recommend it if you are looking for Chinese food in Lake Forest and Irvine area. If you like spicy food they do have some spicy food here. They claim to have Wagyu beef but I am not sure that this beef is really Wagyu beef as the beef was chewy. Each dish is between $20-30 average so depends on how many dishes you order.

Loved the dining experience here! The restaurant has a great atmosphere — stylish, cozy, and very welcoming. The food was not only beautifully presented but also super tasty, you can tell they put effort into every dish. Service was friendly and attentive, which made everything even better. Definitely a place I’d recommend and come back to!

come here with my best friends to celebrate mid-autumn day, good food quality and taste delicious. We ordered kinds of big dishes so a little bit expensive, but worth to try. You can find authentic Guangdong and Hunan dishes here. The restaurant has three private rooms with round tables,which require advance reservation. If dining in the main hall,going early means you avoid the queues. The main hall features comfortable booth seating. The menu offers a range from mid-range to high-end dishes,making it suitable for both casual gatherings with friends and business banquets. eggplant with Chili and Preserved Egg ($15) Generous amount of preserved egg.The mashed chili isn't spicy but offers a fresh aroma. A key feature is the heavy use of garlic,which really enhances the flavor – a delightful surprise for garlic lovers. Lobster with Vermicelli Clay Pot ($36) We ordered this signature dish.The lobster here isn't priced based on market rate, so the portion size is controlled. However, the meat quality was still good. Served on a bed of garlic and vermicelli, it was hard to decide which was more delicious – the lobster or the flavorful noodles. Diced Wagyu Beef Cubes and Sweet Potato with Honey Pepper Sauce ($33) A classic upscale dish commonly found in China.This was my first time tasting this familiar flavor in the US. The black pepper and slightly sweet sauce really highlight the aroma of the beef. The large Wagyu beef cubes were tender,juicy, and easy to chew (hence the higher price point). The side dish was thinly battered and fried sweet potato– crispy on the outside, soft and dense on the inside. Roasted Duck (Half) ($25) We also had the long-awaited roasted duck,which maintained its usual excellent quality. The duck had a perfect balance of lean meat and fat,with a firm, tender texture. My little niece always enjoys it immensely. Beef Chow Fun (Dry-Fried) ($18) The essential dry-fried beef chow fun,packed with 'wok hei' (the breath of the wok). The beef was smooth and tender,the rice noodles were chewy, and the bean sprouts added a refreshing crunch. Although it's a bit oily,sharing among several people makes it less indulgent. Plus a bowl of white rice, the subtotal was $139. With two large signature dishes and including tip,the per-person cost still came to over $50. They also have many affordable,homestyle dishes to choose from.

The fried pork with green peppers tasted very authentic! The pork stomach blended with fish soup were all right not very impressive. The vibe of the restaurant is great but service seems hard to keep up, likely because it’s a new opening location.

Food is great, combination of Cantonese and Hunan cuisine. I really like the fish with basil. The place is new, so service crew are still figuring things out. There are always bunch of customers smoking right outside the restaurant, wasn’t a big fan

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Just checked out this new spot with friends and I’m obsessed! Super cozy vibes and comfy chairs — perfect for hanging out. The Ginger Scallion Sea Bass is totally boneless and so flavorful. Can’t get enough of the Dry Pot Cauliflower, and their HK-style Lemon Tea is my fav to balance it all. Definitely a must-try!

A perfect restaurant! We came for lunch on Chinese New Year’s Eve, and it was completely packed with no empty tables. Even though it was extremely busy, the food was served very quickly and the service was well-organized. The staff were friendly and attentive, and every single dish was delicious — not a single disappointment. Highly recommend! Highly recommend! Highly recommend！

One of the best spots for authentic Chinese food in South OC. The food quality is excellent, and the presentation adds a touch of elegance that makes the dining experience feel more upscale than a typical Chinese restaurant. The only downsides were that it was quite loud inside due to groups celebrating, and I occasionally caught the smell of smoke from people outside since the doors weren’t always closed.