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WELCOMING STAFF — The Courtyard Café has a friendly, welcoming staff from left, seated, Emily Transue, Joyce Transue and Renee Tucker; middle, Rodney McEwen, Brandon LeBlond and Max Bradshaw; back, Ted Bowers and Chad McAvoy, sous chef. Continuing to help Transue as needed are Mary Lowery and Maurice Merett, who have been with her for more than 10 years.
HOULTON — The Courtyard Café, nestled in the Fischman Mall in downtown Houlton, couples elegant dining with its newly renovated bar area.
The Garden Bar, adjacent to the main dining area, has a 24-foot bar, which seats at least 18 patrons. In addition, the bar has six tables for those who want a more relaxed dining experience. While having a beverage, you can watch TV on the flat-screen. The friendly staff and trained bartenders will serve up your favorite cocktail, a micro-brewed beer from its new draft system, a glass of wine from their new, extensive wine list, or your preferred bottled beer.
“This has been a long time in the making,” said Joyce Transue, owner of the Café, “But I just wasn’t ready. It now has taken on the image I really saw for it.”
While the kitchen hours stop at 8 or 9 o’clock, the bar will remain open for as long as there are customers there.
“The bar has been very well received since its renovation. It’s a nice place for people to socialize,” said Transue. “We even plan to have theme nights, such as Ladies Night, Open-Mic Night, Game Night and more.”
The Courtyard Café began as a gourmet takeout service. Transue said, “I never intended to open a restaurant. But very soon after the Café’s inception, many customers wanted it to be a nice place to sit down and have a meal.”
At that point, in 2000, Transue opened up a new room, which allowed for more seating. “With the addition of the new room, I also obtained a full liquor license.” she said.
“While people know Transue as the face of the restaurant,” she said, “I could never have done it without the incredible staff that I have been blessed with all these years.”
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NEWLY RENOVATED — People enjoy the newly renovated bar area at the Courtyard Café. The 24-foot bar, which seats at least 18 patrons, along with the bar are six tables for those who want a more relaxed dining experience. While having a beverage, you can watch TV on the flat-screen.Œ
Transue has a sous chef, Chad McAvoy, along with waiters and waitresses Brandon LeBlond, Rodney McEwen, Emily Transue and Renee Tucker. Max Bradshaw and Ted Bowers are “indispensable employees, as they are the dish technicians,” said Transue. Continuing to help Transue as needed are Mary Lowery and Maurice Merett, who have been with her for more than 10 years.
Transue’s history begins in Massachusetts. She worked in the food-service industry for nearly 15 years, in and around Boston. Transue is a self-taught chef and gained her love of cooking from a man she knew in Massachusetts. “I lived with someone who was a saucier at a big restaurant in Boston. He did all the prep work for the head chef and I learned a lot from him.”
Transue’s husband, Henry, has been her backbone for 22 years.
“Besides my staff, Henry has been pivotal to the restaurant’s success, as well as my sanity.” Transue joked.
Transue left city life to marry Henry in Houlton. They settled down and started a family, five years later.
“You can take the girl out of the city, but you can’t take the city of the girl,” remarked Transue. “Cooking was in my blood. Living in Houlton, I needed an outlet. So I began the Traveling Gourmet. People could book me to come to their home and cook for them. It started to take off so I knew I had to expand. Here I am, 15 years later.”
The Courtyard Café is open Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Wednesday and Thursday from 5-8 p.m. and Saturday until 9 p.m. Reservations are accepted, but not required. Transue also wants customers to know that she will do her best to accommodate special needs and requests, such as food allergies, or dietary restrictions.
To reach the Courtyard Café, call 532-0787.
