🍽️ Shang Shui Restaurant Review – Lake Forest

📍 Subjective & Honest Thoughts Three people | Five dishes + three bowls of rice | Total: $127 (before tip) The order of photos = my personal ranking from favorite to least favorite 👇 1️⃣ Double Pepper Pork Intestine The stir-fry technique was solid — peppers and intestine were cooked well. But it wasn’t spicy enough 🌶️😕 The peppers could be hotter, and the garlic needed ~10 more seconds in the wok. 2️⃣ Black Gold Char Siu I heard it’s from the same owner as Xie Ji BBQ, so I almost switched — but it tasted different. Presentation was nicer, but the flavor was too light — just a hint of honey. A stronger marinade would help! 3️⃣ Radish Beef Clay Pot A bit shocking when it arrived — only 17 pieces of beef 🥲 The meat was mild; the radish and broth were nice, but it felt more like a soup. For over $30, the value wasn’t there — especially when the meat quality isn’t premium. 4️⃣ Stir-Fried Pork with Peppers If the chef who cooked the intestines made this, it’d be #1… but nope. We could see the kitchen had strong wok fire, but this dish lacked wok hei and zero spiciness 🌶️🚫 Even eating peppers + pork together — barely any heat. 5️⃣ Sweet and Sour Pork (Pineapple Pork) One friend said it was canned pineapple — I thought it tasted fresh 🍍 But overall, not as good as tang cu li ji or guo bao rou. Only 10 pieces of pork for over $20? Not the best deal. #IrvineEats #IrvineFood #SoCalFood #CaliforniaLife #LAEats #IrvineStudents #SoCalLife 🥢