Staff Writer
Determined to raise the standard of hospitality and food service, a veteran restaurateur has reopened the Van Buren Road Lodge Hall and Club Room on U.S. Route 1 in Caribou.
Aroostook Republican photo/Debra Walsh
The crew at the Van Buren Road Lodge and Club Room is composed from from left, April Habeeb, Kate Esty, owner, Travis Styles, John Streck, Melanie Cleeves, and April Poulin, Esty’s daughter and Justina Poulin, Esty’s granddaughter.
Kate Esty, who has operated eateries in various New England locales, Florida, and the Virgin Islands, has had an ongoing soft opening this month, but plans hold a Father’s Day lunch buffet to introduce her establishment to the public.
“I like to think that this is a different concept and venue,” Esty said. “I’m very oriented to raise the bar. Customers deserve good value for their dollar. They deserve beautiful and delicious food.”
The Lodge Hall and Club features banquet facilities, a dining room, pub and two smaller intimate dining areas. In addition, Esty has added Gosettt’s Deli, where customers can purchase fresh meats and other products.
Lured by state and local promotional material about the business climate in Aroostook County, Esty initially bought 50 acres three years ago on the Van Buren Road. She noticed that the lodge property was for sale and made a call to the current owner.
“Within 15 minutes I was in there and I knew this was meant to be,” she said.
She purchased the property last year by working with the Caribou Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Northern Maine Development Commission. Then began the long refurbishment process. Two walls were taken down and another wall was erected. An addition also was constructed onto the building.
The interior has been divided to make the building multi-functional, but with personality. In the entrance there’s a comfortable seating area composed of leather sofas. Customers then step into the main building by the deli. The main dining area with booths and tables is at the left, while the enclosed pub and banquet facilities are to the right.
Both inside and out, potted herbs and other greenery are used in the décor.
Currently, Esty has about a half dozen employees. As the main chef, she starts cooking early in the morning for the day.
The lodge opens at 5 a.m. for a continental breakfast. Lunch is available. Next month, dinner will be offered. Esty said that reservations are encouraged, but not required for the evening hours. Reservations are required for the Father’s Day lunch buffet and can be made by the calling the Van Buren Lodge Hall and Club Room at 493-4800.
A native of Gloucester, Mass., Esty developed a penchant throughout her career for all types of food. She expects to feature a different ethnic food each day, such as doing Italian on Wednesday and Greek food on Friday.
In the northeast, she learned to love a wide variety of ethnic foods. Family friends of Greek and Armenian descent taught her their culture and traditional dishes. Her love of Italian food came from working in Rhode Island Federal Hill section, which is famous for Italian cuisine.
Her background also is varied. She has a degree in art history and was involved in theater in Canada and also worked as a photographer and as a graphic artist. She also has run a bistro on St. Thomas and a restaurant on Captiva Island in southwest Florida.
As the business gets up and running, Esty hopes to expand by offering cabin rentals for vacationers.
“This is a magnificent place,” said Esty. “I know what I can do here.”
Aroostook Republican photo/Debra Walsh
John Streck, an employee at the Van Buren Road Lodge Hall and Club Room in Caribou, prepares a sandwich for a customer. The hall features banquet facilities as well as a pub, and private dining rooms in addition to the main restaurant.
