I really don't think this place deserves the low ratings that it has gotten. I love the food! The ambiance is very much that of a hole in the wall - but I really don't feel that it needs to aspire to be anything more than that. Perhaps it is a bit of nostalgia for the many restaurants that I ate at in China, which were of a similar vein, but I absolutely love it.
While the staff will not go out of their way in the traditional western sense to constantly refill your glasses as soon as they are half empty, they are very kind and accommodating.
My favorite dish here is the Singapore noodles at 3 or 4 stars (how spicy it is) though for most people, my girlfriend assures me that 2 stars is more than sufficient spiciness. I no longer live in Madison, as I was only there for school, but whenever I travel back up to the area, Vientiane is sure to be one of my stops!