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Marco Puntillo, Manager,
Grazie Ristorante,
9100 Jane Street, Vaughan, ON
By Gary Lipovetsky, President of MenuPalace.com
 Marco Puntillo is one of the owner/managers of Grazie Ristorante, whose doors opened at Yonge and Eglinton in 1990. Joe Brancatella was the original owner, and to this day still wears the chef hat in the kitchen. Just three years ago, Grazie opened a second location in Vaughan - and today, both locations are busy, busy, busy. To the casual observer Grazie Ristorante might seem like "just another" Italian restaurant in the city, but it becomes a whole different story once you step inside either one of the two locations. From the friendly, smiling wait staff to the delectably delicious dishes - there's more than one reason to pay Grazie a visit when you're looking for a place to eat. Grazie takes reservations for lunch, but it's first come first serve for dinner - so if you're craving one of their generously sized personal pizzas or popular pastas, you'll want to arrive early.
MP: So - Grazie opened a second location in Vaughan a few years ago. What was the reasoning for that?
Puntillo: For the longest time we wanted to grow - we didn't know how, but then this opportunity came up and we went for it.
MP: Are there any major differences between the Toronto and Vaughan locations?
Puntillo: Everything is pretty much the same - the menus are the same, the layout is pretty similar - there's a few architectural details that are different, but for the most part [the two restaurants] are very much alike.
MP: Now, as an owner and manager at Grazie - what's the best part about operating a restaurant?
Puntillo: I enjoy seeing happy people - whether it's clients leaving the restaurant satisfied or full of compliments, or staff who are happy to be here and happy to be making a living and able to support their families.
MP: And the biggest challenge?
Puntillo: Making sure that everything stays consistent. It's a bigger challenge with two locations, making sure things stay consistent across the board.
MP: Italian restaurants are everywhere in the city, it seems - so what is it that sets Grazie apart from the others in Toronto?
Puntillo: There's a certain spirit that's present here in our restaurant. You can feel a certain vibe when you're here, and it's a result of the staff that we hire. We don't hire quiet, boring people - we hire energetic, outgoing staff; whether it's in the kitchen or dining room, so it reflects on everything we do and the customers that come in.
MP: And what kind of customers do you typically get?
Puntillo: We get all kinds of customers - all ages, from young teenagers to older adults, singles, couples, families. . . and all ethnicities as well. It's a good mix of people.
MP: I'm sure Grazie has seen celebrity diners over the years - who's your customer claim to fame?
Puntillo: Susan Sarandon! She was here once - that we know of. It was about 8 years ago. Nobody knew about it except the waitress. [Sarandon] had a hat and glasses on, and the waitress recognized her. She went up to the table and said, "Hi, may I take your-- Oh my gosh, Susan Sarandon!" And Susan said, "listen, I just got off the plane, I'm tired, and I just want to eat and leave. " The waitress said "no problem," took her order, served her the meal, and didn't tell anyone until she had left the restaurant.
MP: Louise herself! I wonder if she went for a popular item or tried something new. Speaking of which, what is Grazie's best selling dish?
Puntillo: The Linguine Marinara. It's a linguine with a variety of seafood in a light tomato sauce with a touch of pepper. It's got a great flavour, and is very appealing to the eye - it comes out in nice big bowl, and looks very abundant with the shells.
MP: And is that your favourite, or is it something else?
Puntillo: I'd have to say [my favourite is] the Giuseppe Pizza. It's got a nice combination of hot and cold items; the pizza comes out hot, then a cold salad is placed on top.
MP: That sounds really tasty. In fact, most the pizza's on your menu look really delicious - what goes into making the perfect pie?
Puntillo: [Our pizza is popular] because it's got a nice thin, fluffy crust. The sauce is not sweet like it is with a lot of franchises. We don't over top it. It's just enough - when you pick it up, it's not soggy. Though we're better known for our pastas.
MP: And what is it that makes your pasta so special?
Puntillo: The sauces. Absolutely the sauces.
MP: Now, I hear that Grazie has a cookbook - what was the inspiration behind that?
Puntillo: It was really just to give people an opportunity to try our dishes at home. There's also some history mentioned in cookbook, and some neat stories along with the recipes. It's been absolutely successful - it's 6 years old.
MP: Grazie also has a very extensive wine list - what's the benefit to giving customers all those options?
Puntillo: The world has become a small place, and there's a lot of good wines from a lot of different countries. So we just want to offer as much variation as possible to our customers.
MP: And what's the best selling wine?
Puntillo: The Collavini Pinot Grigio - it's easy drinking, very fruity, very light.
MP: And do you have a personal favourite?
Puntillo: Absolutely. The Dolcetto Di Dianno from Cascina Adelaide.
MP: You answered that really quickly - why is it your favourite?
Puntillo: Because it's my uncle's wine and he'd kill me if I didn't mention it! [laughs] No, seriously it's easy drinking, and a very good match for a lot of the foods we offer. It's a very versatile wine.
MP: I'll have to try it some time! So, what does the future hold for Grazie?
Puntillo: There's no major plans as of yet - we're just operating as we have been for last 21 years, and try to keep things growing.
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