Chamber Chat

Spotlight: The Horn of Plenty Restaurant
By Lori Weston
Special to the Houlton Pioneer Times
    The Greater Houlton Chamber of Commerce is blessed to have an incredible membership that is comprised of a diverse group of businesses and people who strive to make a difference in our community. We’d like to introduce you to our spotlight business, The Horn of Plenty, owned and operated by Bill and Nancy Roderick and located at 382 North St. in Houlton.
    Together, Bill and Nancy have a wealth of experience in the culinary industry that goes back over 40 years. At the age of 24, Chef Bill attended Johnson and Wales in Rhode Island where he studied culinary arts. Bill’s instructors included some of the best chefs from across the United States. He received intense one-on-one training and instruction that has served him well throughout his career.
Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Joseph Cyr
LUNCH  IS SERVED — Nancy Roderick, right, owner of The Horn of Plenty Restaurant in Houlton serves a lunch plate to Dolores Briggs.
    What brought them to Maine? After residing in Rhode Island for more than 25 years, where Bill was the executive chef of Ocean Cliff Resort, formally owned by heiress Betty Hutton in Newport and where Nancy was the owner of the successful bar known as “Friends,” they moved to Maine. Bill and his father had frequently visited Maine to vacation and hunt. He finally brought Nancy to Maine for a visit and there you have it! They decided to relocate here and on Aug. 3, 1993, they opened the Horn of Plenty restaurant in Island Falls, Maine.  In July of 2009, they moved their then well-established restaurant to Houlton, and aren’t we glad they did?
    The Horn of Plenty presents a warm, comfortable and inviting atmosphere with friendly and knowledgeable staff.  With a menu that offers International Cuisine, it is diverse and comprehensive with an array of steaks, seafood, pasta, chicken to omelets as well as many additional daily specials and always changing offerings of soups (try the Garlic Soup, it is absolutely delicious!).
    Some of the most well-known dishes include the Texas Coffee Rub Steak, Seafood Tetrazzini and Chicken Sicily. Tasty new additions to the menu this summer are Kafta Sticks, which are a classic Lebanese Beef Kabob with herbs and Fried Ravioli. The Horn of Plenty also offers and serves a variety of beer and wine products to accompany the menu selections.
    Bill and Nancy have been pleased with their move to Houlton. They not only found a community that embraced them, but found a customer base that is a mixture of new and old friends. They are always amazed to find that they are serving people from throughout the County and beyond. They welcome back returning customers from New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and other New England states who are here vacationing or visiting family in the area. Certainly, one of the most unique things about the Horn of Plenty is that you are never considered just a customer; you always leave as a friend, and they will remember you.
    Recently, Bill and Nancy served a customer from Vienna, Austria who was here visiting. Bill brought out a cookbook from Austria that he frequently uses. The customer looked through the cookbook and turned to a page that showed a beautiful lake in Austria. Remarking that it was a gorgeous picture, the customer told them that it was a picture of where she lived in Austria. It really is a small world.
    The Horn of Plenty is pro-active when it comes to helping our community. They believe in being charitable and have hosted benefits for the Ark Animal Sanctuary, and the Health Services Foundation along with many others.
    The hours of operation are Wednesday to Saturday from 11a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for lunch and 5-9 p.m. for dinner. Reservations for dinner are suggested, but not required, by calling 532-2260. They now accept Visa, MasterCard and Discover credit cards.
    Are you looking for a caterer for an upcoming wedding, reunion or private party? The Horn of Plenty is available for those functions as well. Craving a meal from “the Horn” but don’t want to eat in?  They will fix a take-out order for you. A Sunday Brunch is available from January through Memorial Day from 10:30a.m. to 2:30 p.m. with a full menu available along with many breakfast specials.
    The Greater Houlton Chamber of Commerce is pleased to claim the Horn of Plenty as a member. It is because of members like them that the Chamber is able to provide the services we do and to offer events and functions that bring folks into our unique and incredible community to enjoy all that we have to offer.
    Editor’s Note: Lori Weston is the Executive Director for the Greater Houlton Chamber of Commerce. She can be reached at 532-4216.