Lexington, KY - As the name - rumored to reference the owner's favorite beverage - might suggest, cuisine is not necessarily the top priority of The Grey Goose, an upscale-casual bar and restaurant that opened on the edge of downtown last fall. But with its modest yet quality menu, and an ambiance that's laid-back, yet slightly cosmopolitan, The Grey Goose fills a much-needed niche in Lexington's restaurant scene: good, affordable food in a casual, unique and sophisticated atmosphere - a destination where one could gladly take a client, or meet a friend or date for a cocktail or bite to eat, without breaking the bank or feeling the need to get too gussied up.
Housed in a slender, recently renovated Jefferson Street building (across thee street and slightly north of Stella's, another great Jefferson Street destination), The Grey Goose keeps things cozy with exposed brick walls, a gorgeous oversized solid wood bar, about nine or 10 small tables and seating for maybe seven or eight at the bar. (Two flat screen TVs on either side of the bar were tuned to sports channels during our visit, with the volume appropriately lowered.) Though it was too chilly for outside dining the night my guest and I ate there, an expansive patio behind the dining room offers quite a bit more seating than the interior, surrounded by a large privacy fence to help maintain the cozy vibes.
As is likely the case with the majority of The Grey Goose's clientele, my guest and I started with cocktails, aptly priced at $5-6 for top shelf bourbon and gin. The wines by the glass menu features a relatively small but decent variety, many of which I was unfamiliar with (I consider that a good thing - as a restaurant service veteran, I have learned to spot and avoid the popular-yet-uninteresting usual suspects, and The Grey Goose doesn't bother to include any of those). Prices ranged from $5-$7 a glass, and the Hob Nob Pinot Noir and McFadden Reisling that my guest and I tried were quite good for their price.
For dinner, my guest and I charged forth for a full-fledged four-course meal, starting with buffalo wings ($4.95 for a half dozen) and fried mushrooms with horseradish cream (also $4.95). The appetizer menu also includes mini corn dogs, fried cheddar broccoli bites and chicken tenders. Next, we shared the large spinach salad ($5.95), which included bacon, boiled egg, red onion and mushrooms (for our dressing we chose a delectable tangy red pepper vinaigrette). The salad was fresh and well-composed, and plenty large for two people.
The dinner menu doesn't stray too far from the typical bar fare, with the very notable exception of its selection of fine pizzas. The pizzas are cooked on a stone, a method employed to extract the moisture from the crust, giving the hand-rolled dough a nice crispy finish. Of the eight selections on the menu (which also includes a build-your-own option), we opted for the Bleu Cheese Pizza ($13.95), with caramelized onion, bacon and mushrooms (we added a side of banana peppers for an extra dollar). The pizzas are bigger than I was somehow expecting, with about six large pieces - plenty for two to share.
We finished with a desert that our server referred to as Derby Pie ($3.95), the only dessert selection of the evening. While its authenticity as actual Derby Pie is questionable, its flavor was undoubtedly irresistible. While I would have to say the pizza, non-greasy and perfectly cooked with fresh, melty cheese (identified on the menu as "Smooth 100 percent Premium Wisconsin Mozzarella Whole Milk Cheese") definitely took the cake as the highlight of the evening, the pie was a close second for me.
The Grey Goose does not appear to be concerned with being Lexington's Next Culinary Destination - nor should it be. The lack of pretense is refreshing in a town flush with excellent high end restaurant options, but lacking in casual eateries. The Grey Goose does, however, fit the bill of Lexington's Next Great Hangout spot - with its delicious pizza and tasty bar snacks serving as an added bonus.