This busy little fledgling empire of family-run restaurants is growing perhaps faster than it can handle. Its newest location in Hillsboro is plagued by befuddled staff and sloppy service. Some dishes sit in the window for a good long while, congealing under the heat of the lights and getting good and…seasoned. At the Old Town Chinatown location, lunch crowds pack into crammed-together tables, and everything flows very smoothly. But at off-hours, both the neighborhood and restaurant feel like a depressing ghost town.

Nonetheless, it’s a total Chinese hit, beginning with the great porridges. This is decidedly Cantonese-style congee, like a soupy risotto, best with more strongly flavored meats like tripe and barbecued duck, and even better with a salty, funky preserved egg. Cold and hungry and feeling generally blah? This will fix you right up.

Stay away from General Tso’s and chow mein; these mid-century Chinese-American dishes rear their ugly heads here. But we won’t even rate Good Taste based on these, because even the menu lets you know the main events are the subtle and heavenly soups, which might feature homemade wontons, scallion, and a restrained sheen of chicken fat. Barbecued pork and duck are good, though. But best of all are the soul-warming soups. On a cold night, you’re in good hands.