People from smaller communities often have to go to larger ones to dine out, but people in one small town in Aroostook County just have to go down the road for their choice of eateries.
Mapleton, a town of about 1,800 people west of Presque Isle, has had two restaurants open within eight months of each other — and they are busy. A home-style diner opened in November and a Chinese eatery opened about two weeks ago.
Aroostook County’s restaurants have seen their share of struggles due to the pandemic and staff shortages, but larger communities like Caribou and Presque Isle have had an influx of new establishments. Evergreen Lanes featuring the Rendezvous Restaurant opened in January, while the Parkhurst Siding Pub in Presque Isle opened in May. But it’s rare for a small County town to see two eateries open in a relatively short time.
Both are run by first-time restaurant owners. And because they offer different cuisine, their owners feel the town can easily accommodate both of them.
Minyi and John Shaw of Presque Isle own the newest enterprise, Wok n Roll, in the former Mapleton Diner space. Owned by Darcy and Bob McBay, the diner closed in December.
“I knew the diner had been around for decades, so I thought it would be a good chance [to] keep it open,” Minyi Shaw said. “Everybody’s happy I’m here, so I feel like I belong.”
Shaw’s brother, Wenji Shan, is a Chinese chef and together the two do the cooking. They decided to stick with the cuisine they knew.
Shaw loves to cook, especially for her children, and feels people are always happy when they’re eating. Sons Matthew and David and daughter Mia actually inspired her to start her own restaurant.
Wok n Roll opened June 16 and Shaw said she has been overwhelmed by the community’s support. Customers tell her they’re happy the diner is staying open, she said.
People also visit from nearby Presque Isle, Ashland and Washburn. Others come through to pick up food on their way to camps at Scopan, Portage Lake and beyond, she said.
Wok n Roll obtains food from Maine suppliers and will purchase local vegetables when they’re in season.
The diner is starting with only take-out. They plan eventually to open the seating area, expand hours and may even try their hand at some diner favorites, like seafood, salads and grilled meats.
“We’ll dip a toe and see how it goes,” she said.
Customer favorites include General Tso’s chicken with its sweet and spicy sauce, spicy Peking noodles and Hawaiian fried rice with ham and pineapple.
Shaw’s greatest challenge was adjusting to cooking for many people, rather than just the family, she said. But she is enjoying the process and appreciates the warm welcome from residents.
Across the street, Linda and Eric Rodd own the town’s other eatery, Taste of Home, which offers sandwiches, hot grinders, pizza, full meals including breakfast, and homemade desserts.
Linda does all the cooking and makes condiments from scratch, she said recently, while sauteing vegetables for grinders.
Originally from Loudon, New Hampshire, Rodd grew up on a family farm, where living sustainably was important. She learned about cooking, canning, preserving, raising meat and much more, she said, which fueled her desire to work with food.
“I love to cook. I’ve been cooking since I was old enough to stand on a stool in the kitchen with my mother,” she said.
Rodd buys from local or Maine suppliers, and uses County potatoes for the hand-cut french fries, she said.
In the eight months she’s been open, she hasn’t received a complaint, she said. One customer orders the chicken alfredo every time, she said.
It turns out Rodd is really a Jill-of-all-trades. Before she and her husband bought the building and before she even knew for sure she was going to open a restaurant, she started crafting tables in her woodshop from pine, cedar and poplar.
She can’t stand being idle, she said. She planed and varnished the moldings and interior wall, sewed the curtains and designed the interior, with its rose walls, homelike decor and tin ceilings.
She, too, feels there’s a place for both restaurants, even in such a small town. What’s more, she’s in her element.
“I’m paying the bills and I’m loving what I’m doing,” she said.