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    Lala Spicy Lab

    4.7 (27 reviews)
    Open 11:30 am - 10:30 pm

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    Charles Y.

    Came here for the 2nd time with my partner for her Yelp event. Cute little spot and with great service. The manager was nice and tentative. We like our spicy food and figured medium would be okay but it was at our limit of enjoyable and too spicy. I'd order mild next time. The beef tongue was good but I like thicker cuts. These were very thinly sliced, like hot pot meat. All in all good food and decent desserts.

    Tomato sweet potatoes noodles
    Nan V.

    Great spot for individual hotpot that includes good toppings. The spicy bowl was good, I got the mild and no numbing and it was still spicy. There are many options for additional add ons and type of noodles. There weren't much sweet potato noodle for one of my soup but generous amount of toppings. The self serve mini sauce bar was awesome. Service was great, it can get busy esp if you are coming in a group of 4+. The matcha soft serve was my favourite.

    Coconut Tom yum beef
    Linda N.

    I came here for malatang hot pot and overall, the experience was great but a bit confusing at first. It's a small, cute shop with limited seating and when I first walked in, it was pretty busy. The staff was helpful but I didn't fully understand how the menu worked right away. The girl came and mentioned that certain items were included but I didn't realize she meant they were already in the bowl so I didn't need to add extras myself. Thankfully, we got it sorted out and everything after that was smooth. The food itself was really tasty, rich, flavourful broth and tons of variety. Just a heads up, even the mild spice level still has a serious kick so come prepared if you're sensitive to heat. And don't skip the parfait! It was absolutely delicious, creamy, refreshing, and the perfect way to finish off the meal.

    Beef Dry mix with crispy tofu 3/5
    Crystal L.

    Food 3/5 Service 4/5 Vibe 3/5 New "malatang" spot in downtown toronto (very close to UT DT) Snacks 4/5, actual bowl of Malatang or dry mix 3/5, ice cream parfait 4/5. Personally had really high expectations as i keep seeing it all over social media, but my personal experience was okay. Food isnt bad , but It isnt my personal fav. Icy parfait is HUGE DOE! Not as creamy as i would like it to be (kinda taste like a sorbet ngl), but if your a huge bubble tea topping lover (like tapioca and jelly) + under this hot summer weather. You will love this!

    Conner J.

    As much as I wanted to finish the entire hotpot right there, I ended up with leftovers for three days. (The takeaway container was pretty much a bucket) That being said the quality was pretty good too. The handmade noodles were a great consistancy and taste with a great bounce. We got the tomato broth with tofu (vegiterian) and it came with a myriad of well cooked veggies and different types of tofu. While there are a lot you could add on to the meal, it comes with more than enough by itself so we didnt find the need. They have a condiment section that was obviously very fresh and varried. It may have been when we got there but they seemed like they were just put out. The icecream was saddle and not too sweat. I know green tea ice crean is very popular in Asia but this is the only one that wasn't really my cup of tea. It was nice thay it had a cake bottom and orange jelly to mix up the consistancy and flavor. The service was fast and friendly with the server at our side any time we needed and answering any questions we had. Overall a great spot especially if you want good bang for your buck.

    David N.

    Chicken cartilage: had a crispy crunch to it and good aromatics. The dipping sauce was minimal but I asked for more with no issues. The sesame seeds and scallions added a nice finish. Crispy Spicy fried tofu: bottom half of the tofu was swimming in oily chili oil while the top half remained crispy topped off with fresh RAW garlic and other fixens.. Hot Pot: Tom Yum Coconut broth was on point. Sweet and savory with a bit of that Thai tang. Ice Cream Parfaits: Was delicious and over portioned. Buried with jelly and all sorts of goodness Service was 10/10 Ambience very intimate

    Spicy Tenderloin Thick Handmade Noodles with Golden egg
    Rahul V S.

    I and my wife love spicy food and to try out new flavors. So when I got to know about this place, i couldn't wait to try it. After reading how crowded it can get during dinner times and on weekends we visited the place on a weekday around 5 pm. From outside, it doesn't appear much. But once your step inside, it is surprisingly big with great ambience. Small square wooden tables are neatly organized in a well-lit dining area. One wall is decorated with notes, another wall is adorned with bottled spices. In a corner is a small add-on station, with containers filled with chilli oil, sauces, minced garlic, peanut bits etc. We were quickly seated and the server explained us the menu, asked if we had any dietary restrictions and guided us on how to go about ordering - which is through a barcode on the table. She also patiently answered our questions as we ordered, explaining us the dishes, add-ons, about spicy and numbing levels. We scanned the barcode and ordered: - Crispy Tofu - Spicy Tenderloin Beef Noodles with Golden Egg ( with handmade thick noodles, medium spicy, regular numbing) - Sliced Beef Brisket MaoCai in their Signature Soup (with handmade thick noodles, medium Spicy, regular numbing) 10 mins later our order began to arrive. First came the Crispy Tofu. The portion was good, and from the look of it -with chilli flakes, red chilli oil - we could judge it was nicely spiced. A bite of it filled our mouths with strong spice notes. Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, it was quite delectable. Second dish served was the Tenderloin Noodles. And we were caught surprised. The portion was huge!!! The noodles were submerged in a spicy, red broth and hidden underneath a thick layer of golden fried omlette. A bite of the crispy egg soaked in signature broth filled my mouth with an explosion of flavours. A few moments later the numbing came into effect. And I was like WOW!! I dived my fork into the broth and rolled some noodles. They were thick, slurpy and soft, but had a great bite and chew to them. The tenderloin was tender and cooked well. Finally came the Sliced Brisket MaoCai and my wife immediately stared at me , questioning my naive food ordering habits. She shook her head, gesturing, 'what have you done!?' Because this order came in two humongous bowls (reason being I had asked the noodles to be served seperately) In one bowl were the sliced Brisket, with all the great veggies, crab sticks, luncheon meat,tofu swimming in signature soup and topped with, garlic, coriander, sesame and crispy peanut bits. In another bowl came in the noodles, again drowned in their signature soup. I have to confess I had ordered to bring them seperately because i didn't want them to come soaked, so I could try bit by bit. But I guess I wasn't clear enough while ordering. So here I was with three huge bowls before me, questioning my life choices. But a foodie always loves a good challenge, isn't it? So I dug in!!! The signature soup was flavourful with great spice notes. The toppings were amazingly cooked and fulfilling. The noodles in that broth tasted heavenly, and the numbing effect added a great touch. Of course I couldn't finish it all, so had to ask for 'To go' boxes. The server was quick to come to our help and packed the food for us. But we were not finished yet. We wanted to end on a sweet note , so got their two parfait - Green tea and Black tea. And again, they were huge. My wife who has a sweet tooth dug in immediately, and she loved it. Of the two, we came to the conclusion that the black tea tasted much better. To foodies: Do not miss this place. If you love and live spicy food, enjoy the numbing and taste of sichaun peppers, this place is a must visit. It is a paradise for spicy food and soup lovers. To owners: Your flavors are amazing, the service is brilliant and the portions are generous. You guys deserve all the good coming your way keep at it. Special mention for our server, Shara. She was extremely patient with us and is great at her job. Overall, this was a great experience and would recommend to anyone who loves spicy flavors. Rating: 9.2/10 Signing off... Rahul aka CanIndian Foodie

    Flavorful
    Lola R.

    My friend hadn't tried hotpot so we decided to try this place out. The vibe is quite friendly and laid back. We were greeted promptly upon arrival and told to be seated at a table of our choice. One of the staff quickly came over to explain how the menu worked. After ordering, our food arrived quickly. We had the delicious Spicy Coconut Tom Yum Flavour Pot Combo. The portion was much larger than we could imagine. I have eaten at Szechuan venues previously and this was very authentic Szechuan. Everything was very fresh. We had to try the icecream and ordered one of each. Icecream is served on Rice Krispies - refreshing! Love the crunch! If you're in for an authentic Szechuan meal, this place is for you! P..S. They offer great secure takeout containers too.

    store front
    Roya G.

    Lala Spicy Lab caught me by surprise! the restaurant doesn't look like much from the outside, but from the moment you set foot in the door, you are transported by the sights and smells. delicious simmering broths and huge bowls drew my attention immediately, and when my food arrived, I was READY to be impressed. And impressed i was! It was comforting and savory, with just the right amount of spice. Parfaits were delicious addition to the meal and the perfect way to cool off. For $20 you get enough food for two people-- or to take home some!

    Leah Y.

    First time visiting here and it turned out to be quite a pleasant surprise! Their portion was huge -- really big bowl with full of ingredients -- and it was very flavourful. Staff was keep walking around and offering water, so they were there even before asking :) They have different spicy levels and numbing levels for people like me who can't handle too much spicy, which was very helpful. Their ice cream parfait is MUST-TRY!

    Tomato tofu bowl
    Mandeq H.

    I was very impressed with Lala! While the wait was quite long on a Wednesday evening, it was definitely worth it. A friend and I got the tomato base tofu bowl and the mao cai beef brisket (not pictured) and it was sooo filling and flavourful. There was also a cart to make your own dipping sauce which was perfect. Their price was very reasonable and we had more than enough leftovers for the next few days. The staff was super attentive despite how busy it was and the inside of the shop was cute. I'd highly recommend!

    Crispy tofu tomato pot
    Ryan W.

    Had a great lunch at Lala Spicy Lab on College Street with a few colleagues. Three of us ordered the sliced beef brisket noodles with a golden egg--the brisket was tender, the broth rich and flavourful, and the cabbage soaked up every bit of spice beautifully. The golden egg was a first for me and paired perfectly with the brisket. We loved the hit of fresh cilantro and the customizable spice levels--medium spicy packed a solid kick without overwhelming the palate. Our vegetarian friend went for the tomato tofu soup, which came in a huge bowl and was a hit. She said it was the best tofu she's ever had--soaked with flavour from the spicy tomato broth. We couldn't resist dessert, and we're glad we didn't. The citrus garden green tea ice cream was unlike anything we've tried--light, refreshing, and unexpectedly complex. The brown sugar ice cream parfait was like gourmet soft serve meets bubble tea--sweet, creamy, and indulgent. Service was warm and welcoming throughout. Only reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is that the space gets a little tight during busy times, but we'd definitely return. A fun, spicy, and satisfying experience!

    Tomato and maocai
    Sophia Y.

    Wow, super impressed with this spot! Firstly, the portions are huge and you could easily split a meal between two people or take half home for later. The flavour is very depthful, you can tell that they take a lot of pride in it, and there's a ton of different toppings in the soup, which makes it fun to eat! We also tried out the parfaits and they were the perfect way to cool down after the spicy soup. Cute little place, gets busy so prepare for a short wait that is worth it.

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    10 months ago

    Broth was delicious, but toppings were pretty minimal. Service was also a bit slow when bringing out our dishes :(

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    Soup Nutsy

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    Me Va Me - Seating area

    Seating area

    Me Va Me - Build-Your-Own Beef and Lamb Bowl ($16.45)

    Build-Your-Own Beef and Lamb Bowl ($16.45)

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