Hot-N-Spicy is one of my all time favorite restaurants which remains a cultural culinary gem!…read moreMadison, WI is beyond blessed to have Hot-N-Spicy which is the most authentic SouthEast Asian restaurant in the Madison area that shares the culture of countries like Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam with the community through their incredible delicious food/cuisine! They truly live up to their name "Hot-N-Spicy". The cultural significance of the chili pepper often represents hospitality, warmth, and resilience! They bring all the spice and don't hold back! If you are not used to spice/spicy hot dishes, I suggest you start at level one spice and work your way up. They will ask you on dishes made with chili peppers what spice level you want 1-4 and can even make it hotter also! Hot-N-Spicy is genuinely unique because they offer Issan food dishes and flavors that is uniquely from the Issan/Isan Northeast region of Thailand that is heavily influenced by Lao and Cambodian flavors with the use of heat, fresh herbs, and use of fish sauce that brings different flavors different from other regions of Thailand. Hot-N-Spicy used to be located in the back of the Viet Hoa Market. It is now located next door from the market in a larger space in the same strip mall that allows for a more comfortable sit-down seating experience of a full restaurant. I have tried almost everything on their menu and have never been disappointed! For appetizers, I love their angel wings which are deboned chicken wings stuffed with chicken, carrot, and bean thread noodles fried to pure crispy perfection! Their most popular selling appetizers are their amazingly addictively delicious crab rangoons! Their chicken satay is also a must try! I also recommend trying their beef jerky which is so delicious, it often sells out quickly during the day! Their main entrees are so outstanding, it is hard to order one entree! My absolute favorite that I recommend is their steak Laab which is the best Laab I have had in Madison! It is heavily influenced with Isaan flavors/culture with minced beef, tripe, red onion, cilantro, mint, fresh lime juice, rice powder, fish sauce and scallions. I love the beef steak Laab because it is unlike anything you will ever taste with so much flavor from a combination of flavors with hint of sour with the lime, salty/umami/pungence from the fish sauce, balanced with refreshing different herbs, texture with the tripe, while the toasted rice powder gives this dish a tiny bit of crunch/texture that gives a subtle nutty flavor! This dish is a minced meat salad traditionally eaten with your hands and sticky rice/vegetables like cucumber. I also really enjoy their Pad Thai, Pho, and Crispy Noodle Lad Na! Your visit wouldn't be complete without quenching your thirst with either their Thai iced coffee/tea! Hot-N-Spicy remains at the top of my list for Thai/Lao cuisine! If you are looking for true authentic flavors/traditionally prepared dishes, definitely try Hot-N-Spicy!

I recently visited Hot N Spicy again, and it was just as good as I remembered! The Summer Rolls…read morewith pork nem nuong were incredibly fresh and packed with flavor. The combination of romaine, cucumbers, carrots, cilantro, mint, homemade daikon, and the crispy fried egg roll wrapper created the perfect balance of freshness and crunch. The nem nuong dipping sauce was so good that I ordered extra. I also tried the Panang Red Curry, and it was outstanding. The curry was rich, creamy, slightly sweet, and packed with flavor. I ordered level 1 spice, and it was the perfect amount of heat without overwhelming the dish. The homemade curry paste, coconut milk, basil, peppers, and jasmine rice came together beautifully. It's also been great to see this local business grow. What started as a takeout spot inside Viet Hoa Market has expanded into a larger space on Monona Drive, and it's easy to see why. The food is consistently delicious, the portions are generous, and the new location offers plenty of seating. If you're craving fresh spring rolls, flavorful curry, or simply a great meal, Hot N Spicy is absolutely worth a visit. Added bonus the service was AMAZING!!!

I had lunch from this truck. I was excite to see a thai truck. Chicken curry fried rice sounded…read morelike a very interesting dish. But it was an ok item. For thai food standards that is not ok.

this place has the best Thai food I have ever had, if you enjoy Thai food give this place a visit…read moreyou will not regret it. service is also a 10/10 run by a amazing couple

Super delicious! I came here with a large group and we were seated instantly. There are lots of…read morefood options. I got the drunken noodles. However, we ended up going family style so I was able to try other dishes like the coconut curries. We got medium spice, which was a good kick without being too much. Overall a great restaurant that I highly recommend!

Background: I've been to Thailand. Service was subpar and…read morenot warm. I request extra spicy for all my food. And it was not even spicy. Missing flavor from the shaking beef and the crab papaya salad. The papaya salad tasted like the papaya was not sliced at the correct time or prepped too long ago as it had a bitter flavor. It also missed more lime juice, peanuts, garlic and more spice. They told me they dont have any other spicy sauce besides the off brand sriracha sauce. I requested more spicy sauce again and she finally gave me chili oil. :/ rice was not warm. To be fair more like 3.5/5. Presentation is done well.

Stopped in a weeknight and it was pretty much empty besides another couple…read more Greeted and sat wherever. Didn't take long to put in our order of beef laab, thom som, and stuffed wings. Two of three dish came with sticky rice and also got one small regular rice. Beef laab ordered native spicy and it did not disappoint! Flavor and spicy level was all on par, could be more spicy. The sticky rice and lettuce wrap added the extra touch. Thom som was good and spicy. Wish it was definitely Lao style, missing the padek but understandable because it's an acquired taste and smell. Stuffed wings was kind of a two-in-one, got the stuffed wings on top of their 'peanut' sauce with a curry base. The broccoli was a nice presentation. The stuffed wing itself was fried so some of the chicken was dry but if you dipped in the sauce it help. Wish the wings were baked, that would've made it more juicer. Overall I'd go back and try other things but definitely would repeat this order anytime.

I took two friends here to celebrate their birthdays. One of whom loves their stuffed chicken…read morewings. I tried the lettuce wrap and it was delicious and there was enough food to bring home leftovers. We each ordered drinks and all were superb. Service was great and we will definitely return!

You won't EVER be disappointed with this food. PERIOD. As a college student, I would consistently…read moreswitch between their spicy tofu squash curry and their spring rolls as timeless classics. Among their other items, their mango sticky rice is AMAZING. Having origins from Southeast Asia as well, this food cart has done me a great service of bringing me closer to home especially on the toughest days. In addition to that, the woman who works tirelessly in the cart has recognized me and we've had many familiar conversations. I'm amazed that she can continue to shine as radiantly as she does despite always working so hard! People might complain about the wait, which I understand, but why don't you try rolling a fat spring roll seamlessly without tearing the delicate rice paper and see how long that would take you? I have mad respect for the incredible woman who is in their cart throughout the week, creating tasty and authentic lunch and in a quick and efficient manner as it can for a fresh spring roll. If you're trying to get food from the food carts on the State Street Mall, you won't regret this one, even if you have to wait a little bit. Luang Prabang, you have never failed me!

I visited Luang Prabang, a Lao-Thai cart on Library Mall, a few times earlier this year. They had a…read moreregular menu that included curries, noodles, and salads, but also a rotating daily menu, all at very affordable prices. The people working at the cart were really nice and accommodating, and were happy to modify any dish they could for ingredients that you can't or don't eat. The first thing I tried was the squash curry, which was a really generous portion size for $7, consisting of rice topped with a rich coconut milk-based curry filled with chicken, kabocha, and zucchini. It was really filling and tasty. But the real winner from the cart after a few visits was the avocado spring roll, which was $3.50 and the size of a burrito. It was basically a giant fresh roll filled with avocado, lettuce, cabbage, mint, rice noodles, cucumber, carrot, and peanut sauce. We got the medium spicy sauce, and it had a fantastic kick to it. Still can't believe something so large was only a few dollars, as it was such a great deal. Definitely worth trying this cart if you're looking for something to eat on campus.

Love Sala! I have been eating here since it opened around 2008. Very authentic and homestyle…read moreflavors. The Lao dishes are spot on. The Curries are best in the area. The Som Tum with grilled chicken.... Delish!! The panang stuffed chicken wings are over the top. The Friday night gingered fish stir fry is ohhhhhh soooo good. Soups? Amazing!!! Great chicken egg rolls. And the best pan fried pork potstickers anywhere. Kudos to Sala Thai!!!

This is a quaint little place that has been well appointed in Thai fashion…read more This local dig is a must try when in the Fair Oaks neighborhood! Please remember it's CASH ONLY! This, I believe, helps to keep their prices very reasonable! It's excellent service but it also appears family ran, so don't be surprised if you have to wait a bit for some attention if it's busy. The jasmine tea was a perfect blend of sweet floral that came through on the nose and mouth. Egg roll was fried to perfection accompanied by an amazing Thai ginger sauce with a bit of heat that was appreciated. Chang beer was recommended and served with a frosty glass. It was a champagne light beer that had great taste. Pad se ew was cooked perfectly and served with a creamy soy sauce that had a hint of sesame/peanut flavor coming through. Veggies were al dente (yum) and chicken was tender.

Stopped by on a Friday night with friends. Parking was easy since this place is located in a plaza…read more Ordering was also quick and easy, since you just go down the line and pick toppings. The only hard part was choosing which toppings to get since there was such a big variety to choose from. I got a small poke bowl with half sushi rice and half spring mix, 1 scoop spicy tuna, mango, scallions, imitation crab, jalapeno, red onions, sesame seeds, chili powder, spicy mayo, and poke sauce. It was decently spicy, and the perfect portion for someone who can't usually finish a bigger poke bowl like myself. I need more shops in California to offer smaller bowls like this lol. Everything tasted fresh and the mango was properly ripe, plus it was very affordable. We took our food to go, but there was also a little bit of seating inside for anyone who wanted to stay and eat. Definitely recommend!

Great little spot! This is my best friend's go to, so she took me here for a casual bite while I…read morewas in town visiting. Portion size was pretty standard, ingredients seemed fresh, and the bowl tasted good. I've had better, but I've certainly had worse too! Prices were pretty standard too. My friend gets a veg bowl there and appreciates the option. A good, quick casual poke spot!

The 4 of us had 3 delicious entrees. Pad Thai, Volcano, and…read morea curry. All with chicken. Great service. Good place for a casual date night.

My husband got pad thai and I got drunken noodles. We eat a lot of Thai food and this was one was…read morepretty bad The sauce was different in a bad way for the pad thai and the drunken noodles were very overcooked and lacking in flavor. We would maybe give it one more try but we wouldn't be excited about it.