COVID casualty no more: Restaurant known for pizza, patio coming back under new owners
Another restaurant shuttered since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic last March is coming back to life. This time it’s a pizza place on one of Lexington’s busy food corridors.
The Grey Goose at 170 Jefferson Street is coming back as The Goose Lexington, under completely new management.
But even though they are new to The Goose, the team taking over the restaurant is an experienced one, lead by longtime Portofino manager Robby Carter.
Carter put together a partnership with chef Andrew Durbin, bartender Rob Vap, and restaurant manager Kristen Richardson.
“It’s my baby, with a few other people from Portofino,” Carter said. Portofino closed at the end of 2020 and Carter got to work on Plan B.
“When Wayne (Masterman) decided to retire and close Portofino, I still had a staff full of people that were out of jobs,” Carter said. “So we knew that The Goose was available, got with the (partners) and pretty much moved the Portofino staff over to The Goose. They were excited, it all seems to have worked out. We’re just waiting to get the doors open.”
That is expected to happen sometime in the next month.
And just in time for patio season: The Goose Lexington will bring back a big patio, with a full bar outside as well as inside.
Carter said that the restaurant has been revamped inside, and they have even moved in equipment from the old Portofino space on Main Street, which is being turned into offices.
Wayne Masterman, who owned and ran Portofino with his wife, Susan, for 21 years, retired from day-to-day restaurant management but still owns The Goose and Gander in Midway and Serafini in Frankfort.
The Mastermans are helping to get the new venture off the ground. Wayne Masterman said he has a lot of confidence in restaurant. “I think there’s probably 50 years of experience working for restaurants in that group,” he said.
The menu will be a bit of a hybrid between former Grey Goose with lots of pizza, and some of the best from Portofino, and a dash of the burger-and-fries menu from The Goose and Gander in Midway, which Carter also manages.
“Upped just a little, with more entrees, house specialties that we’re working on, with a little kick,” Carter said. “A few Italian specials, a few American specials that Andrew comes up with.”
But Carter stressed The Goose will be casual, open for lunch and dinner seven days a week, and for brunch on weekends.
So whether you were a fan of The Grey Goose or Portofino, there will be something to work up an appetite for at The Goose Lexington.
“I think you’ll see some favorites from Portofino on the menu, especially on appetizer side,” Wayne Masterman said. “And the new Goose ... the Grey Goose had very good pizza and we’re working on making it even better.”
This story was originally published March 22, 2021 at 6:00 AM.
