@THAI PINTO CUISINE — Restaurant in North Cowichan

The service here is outstanding. They bring the friendliness for which the Thai people are famous. The atmosphere is clean and uncluttered while still managing to feel welcoming. The food is prepared following authentic technique adapted for Canadian ingredients. For example, in the pad Thai, you will find green onion instead of the Chinese chive, as well as a lack of salted radish and dried shrimp. These are reasonable compromises and have a minimal impact on the flavor of the dishes, but this is why I knocked off a star on the food. Mostly I am sad because I know how good it would be if they had easier access to these ingredients. The curries vary from Thai hot to zero spice on demand without almost no compromise on richness and flavor. They include the usual suspects but panang is surprisingly absent from the menu. The chicken satay is perfect, and the peanut dipping sauce is fantastic. Thai beer is available and the coconut ice cream dessert is not...

I’ve been ordering several times from Thai Pinto in Chemainus, and it’s always been a go-to spot whenever I’m craving authentic flavors. My usual favorite is the Som Tam (papaya salad), which I always get at Thai level spiciness. The taste has been consistently good, but I did notice some inconsistency in the serving—before, there used to be a generous portion of papaya, while now it seems more on lettuce, which feels more like a garnish than the main part of the dish.

I’ve also tried their Tom Yum soup, and while I found it had a lot of tomato chunks, the flavor itself was still comforting and flavorful. My meals are never complete without pairing them with their Thai iced green tea or Thai milk tea, both of which are refreshing and perfectly balanced.

Overall, the taste at Thai Pinto is good and worth coming back for, but I hope they bring back the generous papaya portions in their Som Tam to make it...

Discovered this cozy place for the first time yesterday for Valentine's Day dinner. Usually we head to Nanaimo for food that isn't available in Ladysmith, but thought to check what Chemainus had to offer as we were running later than planned. We are so happy to have found this place! Cozy, welcoming, and the most friendly staff we have encountered in a long time! Service was wonderful, food was very quick and so delicious! It was just like we were back in Thailand!!! The menu offers an excellent selection of dishes, something for everyone and spice levels to suit my preschoolers as well as those that enjoy a kick! We will DEFINITELY be returning soon as Thai is our favourite cuisine. We also can't wait to check out the patio once the weather gets nicer. I peeked out the window and the little patio looks out onto a famous Chemainus mural. If you haven't tried Thai Pinto Cuisine, you should head...