Review: PINTO GARDEN for Outstanding Seasonal Thai Cuisine

Simply stated, you'll love Pinto Garden. This seasonal Thai kitchen in the West Village is unlike any other area restaurant. Tucked away on 10th Street in the West Village, it is stylish, yet welcoming and comfortable. Pinto Garden is the home of outstanding original cuisine inspired by all the regions of Thailand.

There are two distinctive spaces at Pinto Garden. The main dining room is cozy and attractive with floor to ceiling brick walls. There is also a great garden room with a transparent ceiling that fills the room with natural light. The restaurant has seating options to accommodate all size parties. And the service is gracious and attentive.

We stopped by on a Thursday evening for dinner and had the opportunity to meet Chef Teerawong Nanthavatsiri known to many as Chef Yo. He is an actor turned chef whose culinary talents are evident in every dish that is served at Pinto Garden. Chef Yo believes that making a great meal is like creating a top-notch show. He selects the finest seasonal and locally sourced ingredients with the same care that a director chooses the best actors. He wants the presentation of his dishes to be like a fine performance that will please each and every guest. Pinto Garden is his latest restaurant venture and second restaurant opening this year, following the debut of sister restaurant, Pinto Brooklyn Heights. At Pinto Garden, Chef Yo works daily with members of his team, General Manager Koby Songyoo and Chef de Cuisine Tong Rattanun.

Pinto Garden has a variety of Thai food that will suit the tastes and dietary preferences of everyone in your party. The menu has just the right amount of tempting choices. You'll like the attractive presentation of the dishes and they are served "family style" so you can easily table share. We started our dining experience with a few of their signature appetizers. You won't find better Chicken Wings anywhere in the city. They are cooked to perfection, tender and spicy with a Southern Thai sauce. And the succulent fresh Oysters are served with spicy garlic and a lime mignonette. We enjoyed a house specialty entree, the Crab Fried Rice in Young Coconut. This dish has jumbo lump crabmeat tossed in a wok with jasmine rice, and fresh farm egg bake. When it is served, scoop out the coconut to enjoy the full flavor of the dish. The Pumpkin Vegetarian Curry is a unique and savory choice. The baked root vegetable, kabocha pumpkin with homemade panang curry paste is a wonderful twist on a traditional Thai curry. You can also compliment your meal with sides like Jasmine Rice, Roasted Vegetables, Roti and more.

Pinto Garden has a delightful beverage program. We paired our meal with Thai Iced Tea and Singha Thai beer. A carefully selected list of wines is also available to enjoy with your meal. And be sure to indulge in one of Pinto Garden's housemade desserts like their coconut pudding.

Pinto Garden is an exceptional restaurant in the West Village. It is located near convenient subway and bus lines so you can visit them from anywhere in the city. It's a spot you'll want to return to again and again.

Pinto Garden is located at 117 10th Street, New York, NY. The restaurant is open Sunday to Thursday from 5 pm to 10:30 pm, Friday and Saturday from 5 pm to 11:30 pm. They are also available for parties and private events. Call them at 212.366.5455 or visit www.pintogarden.com. Follow Pinto Garden on Instagram and Twitter at @pinto_nyc and Like on Facebook at facebook.com/pintogarden.

For more information on Pinto in Brooklyn, visit http://www.pintobrooklyn.com/.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Pinto Garden

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