A beautiful and inviting space with a spectacular view of the lake shore, PinToh is worth the drive for a classy, authentic Thai experience. Even though they are located in Burlington, I would zip down the 403 just to satisfy my cravings.

399 Elizabeth Street Unit 1-3, Burlington  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Website  |  Menu  |  Map

The first thing I noticed was the huge patio out front. Stepping inside, you’ll find a relaxing atmosphere with light blue walls, dark furnishing, and a stocked bar by the front. Our night started off with cocktails, Thai iced tea, Thai iced coffee, and a variety of appetizers.

The satay ($7-9) and fresh rolls ($7) came with spicy and salty dipping sauces, and a side of fresh, pickled veggies. We assembled little parcels of Laarb ($12), which were minced meat lettuce tacos, and ate the shit out of it. The minced meat mixture was full of bright, zesty flavours with a combination of crunchy and tender textures.

The sides came in the cutest metal containers, stacked, and ready-to-go. There were tins of morning glory ($10), fried pork belly ($3), Thai style omelette ($6), and Thai sausages ($10). Morning glory is one of my favourite Asian greens – it’s a stalky veg with a good crunch and soft leaves. Another dish that I loved was the Som Tum Pintoh Platter ($14). Green papaya salad surrounded by piles of vermicelli noodles, shrimp chips, pork rinds, and pork belly. A super fun platter for sharing!

The entrees came next: deep fried whole fish, steamed fish, curries, and Pad Thai. You can’t get more authentic than breaking down and devouring a whole fish at the table. But if you’re not that adventurous yet, stick with the fried noodle or rice dishes like Pad Thai ($15), Pad Si-Ew ($15), or Khoa Pad ($15). These are my go-to dishes whenever I’m craving noodles, which is every day because my love for noodles will never die. But if you’re into rice and saucy dishes, definitely go for the curries. They range from mild to super spicy, I usually shoot for medium – just enough spice to keep me coming back for more. But on some occasions, you just have to deal with the spice and sweat it out because it tastes so damn good.

We finished off the night with a few desserts. Scoops of coconut ice cream topped with heart of palm, peanuts, and jackfruit in cute jam jars AND in hot dog buns! They also brought out one of my favourite desserts, purple rice with coconut milk and fresh mangoes! It’s some simple shit, but the best shit.

There are a few restaurants in Hamilton that only fous on Thai food like My-Thai, Bangkok Spoon, Thai Memory, and Thai Orchid but I feel like Pintoh has one of the most authentic menus. The spices, colours, presentation, and flavours are on another level. Plus, they have a decent-sized dining room with a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere.

PinToh provided a complimentary meal during the media event, opinions expressed are my own.