Hi All!
On Saturday, April 10 I made a small trip up to the Manitowoc/Two Rivers, Wisconsin area. Here’s a brief report on a brief trip….
My first stop (around 10:30 am) was at Phil Rohrer’s Lunch (1303 22
nd St.) in Two Rivers. This diner is a local legend, and seems fixed in time….
Quite a few people were inside chatting and eating, so I didn’t go wild with the camera. However, I did take a shot of my patty melt and the so-called “raw fries” with gravy that I ordered with it:
The patty melt was very tasty, though wasn’t as melty and buttery as I like. The “raw fries” were tasty enough—from-scratch, deep-fried potato slivers—but the gravy tasted like it came from a can. Not bad, but I would order regular fries next time.
My next stop lay up the road along the lakeshore: Point Beach State Forest. This is a lovely forest, one of the newer additions to Wisconsin’s state line-up. After I parked my car, I walked down a trail and admired this marvellous lighthouse:
Operated by the Coast Guard, the Rawley Point Lighthouse began as a brick structure in the 1850s, but in the 1890s was replaced with a steel tower.
I walked around the park for over two hours—first along the beach….
….then in the forest itself. There are many hiking trails, including a pleasant but short trail that traverses the rolling topography of swale.
After two hours of hiking, I drove around a bit north of Two Rivers to take in the farmland vistas. It started to rain a little, so I enjoyed the smells of damp earth as I drove.
Around mid-afternoon I made my way back to Manitowoc. After a quick stop at Beernsten’s (108 N. 8
th St.) for some chocolate, I found myself at Toby’s Diner (1424 Washington St.) where I had some Chicken and Dumpling soup….
….and a slice of coconut cream pie….
The soup was delicious: rich, well-seasoned chicken broth mixed with vegetables, chicken chunks, and tiny flour dumplings. I wish I had ordered a full bowl. The pie was disappointing, though probably typical for coconut cream: lots of cream custard filling topped with whipped cream, and a scattering of the usual toasted coconut on top. I prefer versions that showcase creamy and nutty coconut first and foremost, with a bit of cream/custard to bind things together.
It was getting late, and I had to make my way back to Milwaukee, but I decided to stop at Dr. Dawg (4144 Harbor Town Lane), a recently opened hot dog restaurant in a strip mall near I-43. I had heard a lot about this place from other Roadfood reports and various newspaper features, and I knew that the owner, David, was mentored by none other than ChicagoStyleDog at Hot Dog University. So, my expectations were high…. and I was not disappointed. David greeted me as I walked in, and after some small talk I realized that I had to have the Duck Sausage:
This was the culinary highlight of the day: delicious duck sausage with caramelized onions and a tangy sweet sauce on a soft poppyseed roll, and accompanied by a handful of fries. Highly addictive! If I hadn’t eaten so much earlier in the day, I would have ordered one more for the road. Next time I’m in the Manitowoc area, I’m stopping at Dr. Dawg again for sure.
And after that, I hopped in the car and made my way back to Milwaukee, just in time to join friends for a dinner of lasagna, asparagus-prosciutto rolls, crème brûlée, and plenty of wine.
