Griglia Open Fire Italian Kitchen on Craig Road offers a cosy yet sophisticated take on the traditional Italian grigliata.
You can’t help but notice the smile on Chef Andrea De Paola as he slaves over the fire in the kitchen of Griglia, looking totally comfortable flipping steaks. Chef Andrea, also the executive chef at progressive Italian restaurant Altro Zafferano, is pretty handy with tweezers over there. But here at Griglia Open Fire Italian Kitchen, he seems to be in his special zone. His element.
Fire.
Griglia is named for grigliata, the Italian practice of cooking over a flaming grill. First opened in 2021, this cosy 40-seater offers an elevated version of that tradition. But you’re not just looking at sharing plates of simple grilled goodness; here Chef Andrea combines his Napoli heritage and a trained sophisticated hand to create dishes that are as inspiring as they are comforting.
Take Griglia’s recently updated menu, for example. The little bites that are Smoked Eel and Confit Tomatoes – the former featuring eel and trout roe spiked with horseradish atop squares of buttery toasted brioche, and the latter sourdough crisps topped with sweet confit cherry tomatoes and avocado mousse – would not look out of place served at Altro Zafferano.
Yet these are also familiar, classic Italian flavours. Take the Romanesco, served with creamy stracchino along with shaved bottarga and Piedmontese hazelnuts. Or Eggplant, a trumped up Parmigiana di Melanzane that comes as alternating layers of eggplant, Roma tomato, basil and Caciocavallo.
Even Rustic Bread, which sounds absolutely pedestrian but this holy trinity of house-baked bread, moreish tomato sauce rendered from quality Piennolo tomatoes, and Apulian EVOO? Divine.
You’ll also be hard-pressed to fault the pastas at Griglia. The Charcoal Grilled Fusilli is an umami bomb with its char-grilled octopus and nduja, while the Pappardelle will wow porcine lovers with its tender braised pork jowl and crisp guanciale bits.
But fire is where it’s at. For carnivores, you can’t go wrong with the 30 Days Dry Aged Porterhouse done Tuscan style. These unctuously juicy slices of steak ooze flavour with every bite. You’ll want to wash this down with a proper Chianti Classico.
Chef Andrea also pays southern Italy with utmost respect with his Whole Mediterranean Seabass. Lovingly seared over charcoal, this fish has got to be among the tastiest we’ve set fork to mouth in a while.
“Grigliata is when people all come together for a barbecue in the Italian summer, and they bring their own dishes, and everyone ends up able to try everything on the table. This is the experience we want our guests to have when they come to Griglia,” Chef Andrea tells us.
“The entire menu is a love letter to Italy.”
Griglia will prove to be one fiery love affair.
Griglia Open Fire Italian Kitchen
Address 37 Craig Rd, #01-01, Singapore 089675 (Google Maps link)
Opening Hours 12pm to 3pm and 6pm to 10.30pm Tuesdays to Thursdays and Sundays; 12pm to 3pm and 6pm to 11pm Fridays and Saturdays; closed on Mondays
Tel (65) 8949 7011
Web www.griglia.sg
Facebook grigliasg
Instagram @griglia_sg
