Gum Kuo

"The menu is unreasonably long at this Chinatown classic for Cantonese comfort food, so stick to the best stuff: congee (with doughnuts, of course), wonton noodle soup, rice noodle rolls, roast pork, and roast duck." - Dianne de Guzman, Momo Chang, Eater Staff

"On days where I just want to retreat from the world, Gum Kuo is where I go for my ultimate comfort foods: congee and stir-fried bitter melon. Their congee is thick, flavorful, and rich with chunks of tender meat and seafood. If bitter melon isn’t your dish of choice, they’ve also got chow fun and rice plates. Enjoy any/all of this with a platter of barbeque pork, Hainan chicken, or roast duck, which you’ll see hanging in the window as you walk in." - daphne wu

"The cure to sunless, foggy mornings is a trip to Gum Kuo. The Oakland Chinatown spot does excellent Cantonese staples that’ll snap you out of a mist-induced funk—especially their porridge, filled with abalone, minced beef, or flaky fish. There’s always one bowl, at minimum, on every table in this casually basic place. Glistening plates of roast duck and pork, jiggly cheong fun, hearty clay pot dishes, and other entrées that’ll guarantee leftovers for lunch tomorrow also fill out the table." - Julia Chen

"Best place for roasted duck; also offers an extensive menu of steamed rice noodle rolls." - Momo Chang

"Tucked inside the Pacific Renaissance Plaza, Gum Kuo has three specialties: jook (or rice porridge), steamed rice rolls, and Cantonese-style roast meats, all at an exceedingly budget-friendly price. They’re currently open for takeout — call in from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily." - Luke Tsai