Grappa’s has been open since 2002, almost as long as Greenbelt 3 itself. Everyone knows about this place, in one way or another. It’s that one restaurant you immediately see when you walk up from what was Max Brenner and now Hermès; the one that is in front of what used to be Music One and now Muji. The restaurant has been holding its own against stiff competition for over 9 years and has become, for a lot of people, an integral part of the Greenbelt experience.
An extension of the famous Grappa’s Ristorante in Hong Kong, the Greenbelt branch is now run and operated by El Grande Restaurants (Phils), Inc. El Grande HK owns the Grappa’s brand and runs over 30 restaurants in HK and China. The Manila kitchen is helmed by Chef Clinton Nuyda, a balikbayan who migrated to the states in the mid '80s with his family. After finishing his education there, he pursued a very exciting culinary career in the kitchens of Eric Klein, Suzanne Goin, and even Wolfgang Puck, just to name a few.
“I decided to return because I felt that it was time for me to share what I’ve learned; to give back,” Chef Nuyda said. Upon his arrival earlier this year, the kitchen at Grappa’s started undergoing a special kind of a transition. “We are going back to where we started, going back to our roots,” he explained.
After being in service for so many years, Grappa’s has had its fair share of face lifts and overhauls. In fact, the whole restaurant was recently redesigned to fit a simpler and more rustic restaurant concept. “When people walk in here, we want them to feel at ease and comfortable. We don’t want them to feel intimidated at all,” Nuyda said.
In a city that is obsessed with things cutting-edge and state-of-the art, Grappa’s Ristorante is steadfast in its dedication to deliver a dining experience that is decidedly traditional and classic. By tracing back to what is true, Grappa’s Ristorante takes you and your taste buds straight to the heart of true Italian cuisine.
