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.

Spring rolls the size of a full grown guinea pig!…read more Ask for it spicy. If that not enough, you can choose from their all encompassing menu of curry, papaya salad, or pad Thai! I love seeing the sweet owner every time I visit.

Such a fucking adorable little spot!!!!…read more We had a reservation for 5:45 on a Saturday and were seated immediately. We actually got the most precious little corner booth/bench situation. Our server was incredible. She was SO NICE and helpful and just emanating the best energy. She was so on top of shit too. The menu looks incredible. There are so many options it is like impossible to choose. It is not common, at all, to have the option of plant based dumplings so I jumped on that one. I ordered pan fried. They were AMAZING. They were stuffed with more than the standard cabbage maybe a few carrot strands and a few mushrooms. Even gf who didn't appear to be convinced at first did some damage. I was very torn between my ush (Penang curry) and something with noodles. I ultimately went with the latter. The noodles weren't quite as slippery and slidey as I was expecting but the sauce was so good and the thing was overflowing with vegetables. It was such a ridiculous portion I could barely put a dent in it. GF got pho which felt insane after spending yesterday in a furnace all day at the state fair. It was the most authentic pho I have had since leaving Vietnam. Our cocktails were beautiful, I think they were on fire if I remember correctly.

Really disappointing experience from start to finish. We were told the wait would be about 30…read moreminutes and ended up waiting 90, despite multiple tables waiting to be cleaned for long stretches. The whole seating process seemed incredibly inefficient. We asked if we could at least order appetizers at the bar while we waited and were told no because we were waiting for a table, which was frustrating. Service somehow managed to be both inattentive and overbearing. After we were finally seated, we waited close to 30 minutes while trying to order. Once the food arrived, though, our waiter was suddenly at the table every five minutes asking if everything tasted good (it did not). The menu is enormous, to the point that I genuinely don't understand how a kitchen could execute that many dishes well, especially when so many require different ingredients and preparation. Unfortunately, the food pretty much confirmed that suspicion. The curry was watery and almost completely flavorless. The Pad Thai tasted like ketchup. The duck was poorly cooked. The spring roll with an egg roll inside was tasty, but there wasn't enough filling and it was the only thing we particularly enjoyed. I don't mind waiting for good food, and I don't mind a restaurant being busy. But waiting three times longer than quoted, watching tables sit empty, being unable to order anything while waiting, and then getting mediocre food made this a pretty frustrating experience. I wouldn't come back.

LOVE it -this is hands down the most authentic Thai food I've tried in the state. The dishes are…read morevery unique, and I couldn't find many of them at other Thai restaurants. Everything we tried was delicious and full of flavor. The service was also very good--the lady came back to check on us, which we really appreciated. The only downside was that the table for two was very small, and we barely had enough space for our dishes. That said, we would definitely come back the next time we're in town.

Love this place, I tried the drunken noodles that was served on a beautiful white rice bowl…read more The dried spring rolls were a great started as I waited for my main entree, it helped me wait for the main food since I was starving! The food goes great with jasmine green tea for a chilly night and looking to get a little caffeine bump. My friend's pineapple rice looked great too. Portions are a good size, I had leftovers even though I was so hungry. Definitely ample portion for one person and can potentially share with two persons. Small and cute. I found this place to buys around dinner time. Parking is street neighborhood parking that was not hard to find a spot for. I would definitely come back!

Ahan is a delight for the tastebuds and eyes! This restaurant offers a combination of classic…read moresoutheast Asian cuisine as well as creative and boundary pushing dishes. I went with a small group, and although the place was packed the wood ceilings and dim lights help to foster an intimate and cozy aesthetic! For start we ordered two delicious appetizers (see photos below) and drinks! The drink menu was especially interesting offering several cocktails that I've never seen before! My cocktail, for example, included popping boba! Our entrees were flavorful! The waiter was knowledgeable and friendly, giving recommendations and insights when asked. Overall this is a great addition to Madison, and I can't wait to go back!

I'm really confused as to why people are raving about this restaurant. Service was fine, and the…read morerestaurant is definitely really cute--it's spacious and there's a nice open bar--but the food was a major disappointment. We ordered four dishes: the chicken satay and the sakoo yat sai for appetizers, and the mok pa and the praram long song for entrees. The satay was okay--four huge skewers of chicken drenched in a sweet sauce. The sauce was too sweet for my taste. The sakoo was mostly tapioca, wasn't able to taste the filling much. The mok pa had a strange bitter flavor, and the praram long song was basically a fried chicken thigh and sautéed vegetables. All the dishes were relatively devoid of flavor and every dish had some sort of peanut sauce to accompany it (probably to compensate for that lack of flavor). Portion sizes were decent for the price. The check ended up coming out to around $50/person without drinks. Overall, I got the impression that this is the type of restaurant that you go to for the ambience and not the food. I'd like to give this place another shot because the food is really visually appealing, but I think you can easily find better Thai food at a significantly lower price point.

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.

I came here one evening with some friends. I ordered the pork Larb and they ordered spring rolls,…read moreduck curry, a shrimp soup, and pad Thai. My friend said that the curry was amazing and they definitely want to come again for that. My other friend didn't like the pad Thai that much and had to put a lot of sauce on it. They thought the soup and the spring rolls were decent and didn't have any complaints. Pork Larb is my favorite food and I really didn't enjoy the pork Larb here. It had carrots in it which I had never seen before and it was incredibly dry and sweet. They also didn't have sticky rice I could order unless it was the sticky rice for dessert with coconut milk in it which I didn't want. It also costed me extra for cucumber and lettuce which should automatically come with it (who eats Larb by itself???). As far as ambiance goes, it was kind of dark in there but the decor and atmosphere was okay. The service was very nice but they did forget some of our food at one point. I really like the server who brought our food though; she was charming and enjoyable to talk to. Overall, I see great potential with this place and really only wish the best. With some tweaking and recipe perfection, this could be a good, treasured spot in the area.

Food 4/5 Service 4/5…read moreAmbiance 4/5 Sa Bai Thong presents itself as a a restaurant that, to me, feels like home. There's nothing overly fancy, no flashy lights or expensive decor. Just a simple, down-to-earth place to get some Thai food, and some pretty good food at that. For lack of a picture of what I personally ate, I'll post the pic I got of my friend's Guey Tuey Kee Mao, or what may be more described as "drunken noodles." It was pretty good and authentic - just the right balance of saltiness and sweetness in the sauce, and the chicken in it was done nicely. I personally ordered the Pad-Z-You (probably more towards pad see ew) with beef, and that was also quite good. Extremely straightforward dish that was executed well. Overall, this was a nice place for a casual dinner. The server was also quite friendly too. The food is definitely not "mind-blowing," but it certainly scratches the itch for good Thai food.

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.

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.

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 would have given 4 stars but I asked for no nuts in my Pad Thai and there were lots of peanuts…read more The flavor was okay. The egg rolls was not my favorite. The flavor wasn't something I enjoyed. I ate one of the two. I was not a fan of the duck sauce since it had a lot of peanuts in it. It is a me thing but I am not a fan of peanuts in general and have never liked them in my Thai food. Only ate 1/4 of the meal due to the peanut taste. I almost went back but was tired after my all day epic training.

Family Owned Restaurant. Servings are big! Everything I've tried so far is good. Service is nice…read more Worth the price. Recommend Garlic Pork. Fried rice is also good