Portofino’s Closed at Least a Few More Months

It was a rough holiday season for Tony Ramadani and the staff of Ristorante, which was severely damaged in a .

Ramadani, who has owned the restaurant for 23 years, said last week that it would be another three or four months before Portofino’s would be ready for business again.

“Every day, I come here make sure things are going to get done, that things are moving forward, and to get done as soon as possible,” Ramadani told Patch.

The fire began early on a December morning, caused by a faulty oven hood that was not installed properly, according to Ramadani.

Ramadani said he was still working with the insurance department to figure out the exact cost of the fire. Construction will be underway soon, as the cleanup process is just about done.

“I communicate with my customers; a lot of them ask when we’re coming back. I tell them we’re coming back,” Ramadani said.

But in the meantime, Ramadani is also focusing on a new restaurant, Max 40, which opened early this year.

“We get some customers from here that come to Max 40. On opening night, friends and customers from Wilton came in and we had a great evening,” he said.

Max 40 serves a continental menu and is located on 40 Mill Plain Road in Danbury. Ramadani also owns , which is also located in Danbury.

But Portofino’s still has his heart.

“I can’t wait to come back,” he said.