Lao Laan-Xang- 1146 Williamson St.

This indie Loatian hotspot bosts two locals and very high rankings in Madison magazines "Best of Madison" issue, but I can't quite see what all the fuss is about.

Rating: **1/2 out of 5 (So-So)

Food: With Laos being sandwitched between Vietnam and Thailand, I figured the menu might be an interesting fusion of what I've come to expect from both Thai and Vietnamese restaurants here in the U.S. However, Lao Laan-Xang's fare seems to come straight from it's western neighbor. Dishes are very heavy, with pad Thai-sh and curry specialties.

We stareted with an appetizer sampler, because they came well recommended (the crab rangoon especially). Everything came out tasting overly fried, and very boring. The crab rangoon which other web reviewers raved about was not to be found. These tasted like deep fried cream cheese balls- with no crab in sight. The one appetizer that stood out was the Pork Wontons, which were filled with a vibrant, delicious ground pork and herb mixture. A cucumber salad which came with the sampler was moderatly fresh tasting, but ultimately overpowered by the vinigary dressing.

Dinner was extremely so-so, considering my high expectations. We ordered the Tuesday Special: a vegtable curry with optional meat (we got chicken). The curry was nicely flavored, not too spicy, with nice surprises, including butternut squash. My two dining companions thought it was really tasty, but I thought the amount of coconut milk made it too thick and too sweet. Next was a noodle dish, Khua Mee, which must be Lao for Pad Thai, because that's exactly what it looked like and tasted like. Overall, very average. None of the dishes had a lot of flavor when ordered at the mildist heat. It also felt like we got a bit jipped on the meat portions.

Service: For a nearly empty restaurant, the service was a little haphazard. Very slow at first, and not great with the details.

Atmosphere: The decor and size fit its location in the funky Willy neighborhood. We loved the color scheme: a rich red that made the place feel somewhat cozy. Still, the rest of the place feels kind of cheep. All the plates and glasses were plastic (including the tea pot for the tea we ordered), and the tables and chairs are nothing special. Probably a better place for take out, than to dine in.

Cost: ($$) The appetizer sampler was a bit spendy and most main dishes range between $10-$12. With none of us drinking any more than tea, we had two dishes, appetizers and tea for under 40 bucks.