Thunder Bay : Food & Drink
Voyageurs' Port of Call
By Conor Mihell
Jun 1, 2008

Madhouse Tavern and Grill; 295 Bay St., Thunder Bay, Ontario; 807-344-6600; madhousetavern.com; Open 11:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. Mon. – Wed., 11:30 a.m. to 2 a.m. Thu. – Sat. and 5 p.m. to midnight Sun.

Ending a long trip with a pint and a party is a Canadian tradition that Rodney Brown can tell you all about. The veteran songwriter’s 2005 folk and reggae album, The Big Lonely, recounts the centuries-old journey of hungry, thirsty and hardy voyageurs who paddled birchbark canoes across the hinterland to Lake Superior’s northwestern hub for their annual gathering in late June.

“The rendezvous was as much about meeting friends, sharing ideas and complaining about the boss as it was just kicking back and having fun,” says Brown.

The 53-year-old lifelong Thunder Bay resident’s favourite place to revel in the banter and big talk of the voyageur lifestyle is the Madhouse Tavern and Grill in the historic Little Finland district of downtown. But the menu—highlighted by chicken satay, tapas plates, calamari and traditional pub food—is a few giant leaps beyond the voyageurs’ fare of salt pork and lard. “As much as the voyageur lifestyle fascinates me, I don’t envy it,” says Brown. “I’m happy enough toasting them with a fresh pint.”

DOOR “There’s no cover, even the odd time when a local or touring band plays.”

DRESS “Jeans and plaid shirts—blue and red are best. Just like at old Fort William, fur hats are still common in cold weather.”

DRINK “A pint or two of Guinness goes down easier than the voyageur standard of over-proof rum.”

DISH “The steak and goat cheese salad is the old standby. But my current favourite is coconut shrimp.”

DECOR “The building used to be a bank and they’ve kept the old vault in the back. The Madhouse is what I’d describe as ‘nouveau Thunder Bay.’ The mood is relaxed, yet intellectual. There’s a pool table that no one seems to use.”