Isle Royale Forums

Searched for this but couldn't find any past discussion. How's the food on Ranger III? Is it either so bad or so expensive that you'd want to make other plans?

So much of the Isle Royale experience involves tradition. The chili on the Ranger is part of that tradition, so I guess it depends on how important it is to you to sample the traditions of the island. Is it expensive? No food on (or on the way to) Isle Royale is cheap, with the exception of the ice cream bars in the camp store at RH (the generic kind, not the frozen Snickers.) I remember that the fountain Coke on the boat was beyond expensive, but as I go to the island to escape the kind of bad habits of civilization of which Coke is a poster child, I wasn't bothered by that. Is the chili good? I had some on the voyage over in June and I thought it was the best chili I'd ever had, but everyone has their own idea of what chili tastes like, so someone else might not like it. There's not much else besides chili, it's kind of a take-it-or-leave-it deal, but then again, that's the Isle Royale motto and part of what I love about it. One thing to bear in mind is that if the seas are really rough, they won't open the kitchen at all, so it's a good idea to have alternate plans (assuming you like to eat in rough seas.) I made one voyage where the waves were high enough that they didn't let people outside on the bottom deck during the voyage and I'm pretty sure there was no chili that day.

By the way, another tradition is breakfast at the Suomi cafe. The Suomi is at the end of Huron Street on Lakeshore Drive and an easy walk from the Ranger. Eat a couple of pannekukken and maybe you won't even want lunch on the boat.

My notes from the last trip on the Ranger in 2005 (well, my only trip on the Ranger) say "share a club sandwich at the snack bar. Pretty good, though pricey ($6 or $7)." My attitude is that if it's the only thing to eat and you're hungry, then it's good! I don't eat freeze dried meals at home, but when camping, some of them are pretty tasty.

I will 2nd the chilli, it is good!!!

Food on the boat is good and expensive. Chili is not my tradition, the tuna sandwich is. For others it's the pasty.

If you're spending "vacation dollars" you might as well treat yourself, otherwise pack a lunch.

Bob

The Suomi is the greatest. I love that place.

After breakfast pick up a Pasty to go, that will fill you up on the boat.

I was on the Island only once back 20 years ago, Im not sure about the Ranger III food, I didn't try it.

I did bring a Suomi Pasty though, if you are carefull you an eat it by hand.

The Suomi is the greatest. I love that place.

+1!!!!!!!

The pancakes cover the entire plate.

Soumi,
The potato pancakes are to die for!!!

Awesome! The turkey club is my favorite.

The Suomi Restaurant? Now there's a name I haven't thought about for a long long time.

For two years I worked as the janitor there some 35 years ago.

It's going strong. Last year they remodeled just a bit and added a couple of picture windows facing the side street.

When I was hired, the basement bakery was in shambles. The mixers, the tables, everything was encrusted with a half inch coating of concrete like flour mixture. What sweat and memories, lol. I did get some good free meals there.

I’ve since traveled to Finland on business dozens of times and never saw a Pasty. They are of course a Cornish invention.

It good to hear the Suomi Bakery is still there. After my wife’s hip replacement this year we’d hoped to get up to Houghton but the surgery’s been delayed until next month. We might still make it for some fall colors. Or maybe we’ll head over from Grand Portage and spend a night at the Rock Harbor Lodge if they have a cancellation. My wife’s idea of camping is when she’s only allowed to bring up one suitcase to the hotel room.

When we went on our trip we went to Suomi Restaurant before we got on the boat. I had a pannukakku with raspberry dipping sauce and it was amazing. I've never had one even though I'm Finnish. As for on the boat I had some chili which was good. On the pasty note, We went to Kaleva Cafe in Hancock and the only way to describe a pasty in my opinion is beef stew in a crust. It was so delicious and it was my first pasty.