Great hole in the wall location…read more The pork in the pork belly stir-fry is some of the most tender pork I have tried in Madison. The level of spice is reasonable. Do note that the dish does not come with rice, but can be ordered on the side. The chicken momo is juicy and pairs well with the sauce they provide for you. Be sure to give it some time to sit because it's hot and fresh.

I tried the pork belly with chili stir fry and a side of rice. It was great!…read more The place was busy and all tables were occupied so I ordered food to go. I was too hungry and didn't get to take pictures. Words do not do justice, so you'll have to come try the food! The place is small, so if you are hungry, plan ahead before peak time.

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

Chin's is a phenomenal spot for Chinese food that tastes and looks delicious! While sometimes…read moreChinese cuisine can be hit or miss for me, I find that Chin's really prioritizes high quality! The rice is always perfectly cooked, the meat is always fresh and flavorful, and the ambiance is always polished and clean! It even has a patio for nice summer days! Although you order at the counter here, the servers will bring your food and bus your table! They are great. I've ordered the sesame chicken and the bourbon chicken so far, and I hope to come back for their stir fry soon!

I was looking for an alternative to Panda Express (how can a college town have no Panda Express?)…read more This place looked reasonable online. When we went in the middle of the day, it was virtually empty--not a good sign. The orange chicken was decent enough but no comparison to Panda Express's signature orange chicken. Fried rice was bland but edible. Overall, a decent place but no Panda.

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.

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!!!

First... So oooo much plastic And styrafoam.. Come on…read more Soup. Dumplings no. Soup. Bao definitely not made here. No ice. Soup was fantastic!

Food: - braised beef with rice 3.5/5. It was a little chewy…read morebut it has good flavor. It came with egg and some green vegetables which was a nice surprise. - scallion pancake 4/5 Service: 5/5 Ambiance: 2/5 - it's not the best looking place but the food & service makes up for it. I would come back and try the dumplings

We were immediately greeted by some welcoming hosts who had the cutest outfits! We're were seated…read moreimmediately even though it was a busy Saturday night. Our server, Delaney, was AMAZING! Give her a raise! So helpful and so nice! We started with the seaweed salad, it was a small portion for three people to share, I recommend one or two people should order it. It was delicious and really hit the spot. My drink, one basil after another, was DELICIOUS! I will definitely be coming back for happy hour and getting that again. I also tried my friends rose water lycheetini which was very tasty as well. The basil drink was a bit booze-ier than the other which I liked. For our main courses we ordered the spider roll, negihama roll, and the salmon roll which I would rank in that order. The spider roll was so salty and yummy. The negihama was so fresh and flavorful. The salmon roll was good but nothing to write home about.

After seeing a YouTube video with a master Japanese sushi chef trying American-style sushi, a new…read morephrase entered my lexicon: "Mayonnaise Roll." Regrettably, I will encounter one during my visit. More on that later. I started off with a Mojo Mojito (N/A). Big points for noticeable mint notes, something which was forgotten in two I had previously (in different spots). That said, it was a little sweeter than I prefer, but this is a matter of taste. For my app, I ordered the OG Pork Buns. These were great! The buns were soft, and the pork was tender and well balanced in terms of ratio of meaty to fatty. It was also sauced the perfect amount, and had a great amount of cucumber for freshness. While I can't put it in the S-Tier, I will easily give it a B, maybe an A if I am in a good mood. The only changes I would prefer (also personal preference) is a little acid for brightness, and a shift towards the fatty end of the ratio. Then we arrive at the fated Sunset Salmon Roll. On the surface, it promises to be a roll to remember: two kinds of fish, three kinds of veggie (including jalapeño), tobiko, and mayo. Instead, anything the roll tried to do was lost as the balance was way off. The quantity of rice was such that it seemed as though the rice was the main event, and everything else was cast as "Waiter #3." To make matters worse, the Yuzu mayo was very strong, further shifting focus away from the fish and veg. Thus, we arrive at "rice and mayo roll." When asked how I was liking things, and I communicated as much, the bar-server offered to change it to something else (thank you very much). That something else was two sets of Nigiri: Unagi & Seared Tuna (Bincho Maguro Tataki). For the Unagi, this was perfect with no notes. The eel was cooked and sauced perfectly, and the balance of rice to protein was ideal. Good job. I can't say the same for the Seared Tuna. The kiss of fire can elevate a piece to otherworldly levels, but only if done correctly. Here, the flame seemed to be applied as an afterthought, and added nothing of value to the fish. The only thing it did was take away some of that amazing freshness sushi-grade fish has by partially cooking it. Any smokey and roasty notes were not in the building. Final verdict: Tavernakaya got off to a promising start with a great virgin Mojito and pork buns. However, it faltered severely when it came to sushi. While the Unagi Nigiri was a strong contender, the Sunset Salmon Roll and Seared Tuna Nigiri were poorly executed. Thus, while I am not against trying their ramen on a later day, I'll likely steer clear of the sushi side of the menu.

Thanks once again to TikTok, this location has come up multiple times as one of the favorite Ramen…read moreplaces in Madison. Living on the West Coast we have multiple options so this was a nice and unexpected surprise when we popped in for lunch on the way back from the airport. We opted for a shoyou Ramen as well as a tonkatsu Ramen. Both were rich and flavorful and had plenty of toppings. It came with an egg, although we ordered additional eggs on the side. I saw a vegetarian one go by and that also looked phenomenal. It was a really large portion and we took some of it home. Service was friendly. Parking was on the street. I'm not sure if there is a private lot. Cool vibes reasonably priced menu overall.

Food was excellent! Service very good!…read more Amazed at how quickly the dishes arrived at the table after ordering!!! Definitely recommend this restaurant & give it a 4.25 stars. If the interior was upscale to match, it would earn the 5... but still enjoy it for the food.