Two Rivers Activities - Debra Jean Sportfishing

Debra Jean Sportfishing

Captain Jim Hoffman
jhoffman7@new.rr.com
Home#: 920-725-9623
Boat#: 920-605-6155

During a recent trip to Two Rivers, Wisconsin, we booked an early morning fishing trip with the Debra Jean Sportfishing boat and crew. In the past, we’ve used the Two Rivers Charter Fishing service to book our fishing trips, and we used them again for this fishing trip.

At 4:30 am on a Saturday morning, our group of 6 arrived at the Seagull Marina ready for a half day of salmon fishing. We were immediately greeted by the Debra Jean’s owners, Captain Jim Hoffman and his wife, Debra Jean. Once we were settled on board, we took off in the dark, ready to catch some fresh Lake Michigan fish!

Our group really lucked out, and the weather was perfect, sunny and warm, with a slight breeze. The water was very smooth. The boat was beautiful, comfortable seating for all 6 of us on the upper level, in the sunshine, with a cabin area on the first level, with a bathroom and small kitchen area. Our hosts brought pastries from the local bakery along, and had made coffee and provided juice as well to start the morning off right.

Without getting in to too many of the exciting details, our group brought back 7 fish in total. We had 2 Lake Trout and 5 salmon, some which put up quite the struggle to get in! We also “lost” probably 3 other fish we just couldn’t get into the boat.

We got back to the marina around noon, tired, but having had an awesome time. Our fish were cleaned and put into bags for us, and Deb sent us with some Cajun Grilled Fish marinade. Though I haven’t dug into my bounty yet, we heard from some of the others that joined us that the fish was delicious, can you beat fresh Wisconsin salmon? And the marinade was a perfect compliment.

F our of the six of us had been salmon fishing on Lake Michigan prior to this trip, and all agreed that this was by far the best experience we’d had. Jim and Deb were amazing guides, friendly, knowledgeable and experienced. They really pushed a good day over the edge and made it a great one. This was an experience we won’t soon forget, and one we’ll definitely repeat on the Debra Jean.

Appleton Restaurants - O'Charley's

O’Charley’s Restaurant
3775 W College Ave
Appleton, WI 54914-3913
(920) 734-1456

We’ve been to the O’Charley’s Restaurant in Appleton, Wisconsin on a few occasions. Recently, we went for a Sunday lunch. We were seated immediately, and our drink order was taken.

As I said, we’ve been to the Appleton O’Charley’s a few times, and it’s mostly because of their rolls. Oh. My. Goodness. The rolls. They are amazing, best part of the meal. If nothing else, go for the rolls.

In the past, we’ve also ordered the $6.79 Southwestern Twisted Chips. They’re fried potato twists, smothered in cheese, pico de gallo, and fresh cilantro. They’re huge, and I usually order something small if we order the chips, I could make a whole meal out of them!

I ordered the $7.99 Southern Fried Chicken Tacos. They were great, the chicken was well seasoned and the pico de gallo on top of the chicken was awesome. There was also the standard lettuce and shredded cheddar on each of the tacos. O’Charley’s served the tacos with a side of “Southwestern Ranch” that I really liked. The meal also came with tortilla chips and a side of pico de gallo. The pico de gallo in the bowl with the chips was NOT the pico de gallo that was on the tacos. I didn’t like the side serving, I’m not sure what it was, but I couldn’t eat it. I ended up dipping some chips in the Southwestern Rance sauce, I did like that!  

The BF ordered the $8.99 Firecracker Burger wrap. It was good, not dry at all, with enough heat to remind you that it was in fact called the Firecracker, but not so much that you couldn’t actually enjoy it. The big cooked jalapenos in the wrap were a nice touch. The wrap came with fries, which were good. I like when you can still taste some potato amongst all the fry.

Though we typically stay away from the chain restaurants, O’Charley’s location ((right off of 41 in Appleton)) and rolls make it a Wisconsin restaurant we keep going back to. With your typical chain restaurant food and prices, it’s regularly a pretty good meal, with good service.

Two Rivers Restaurants - Machut's Supper Club

Machut’s Supper Club
Hwy 42 North
Two Rivers, WI 54241-3599
(920) 793-9432

Machut’s Supper Club in Two Rivers, Wisconsin is an old fashioned Wisconsin supper club for sure. Walking in, we were sent to a table at the bar, and given menus. Drinks were ordered, and our dinner orders were taken. We were kept at the bar for over 3o minutes, though we could see empty tables in the dining area. Once our number showed up on the digital sign, we were given a table number, and told to go find it.

Though there were 2 salads at the table (the rest of us ordered the salad bar) we had to ask two different staff members for water. We still aren’t sure who our server was, as we dealt with 3 different people while seated at the table.

The salad bar was fresh, but offered very little in terms of fresh vegetable toppings. There were more dressings than anything else. It also cost $1.95 extra to get a trip to the salad bar, when the plated dinner salads actually had more veggies on them.

Our salad plates were cleared but our entrees didn’t arrive for another 30 or so minutes. Over an hour after we’d placed an order. This is definitely not the place for a quick meal.

I ordered the $17.75 New York strip, broasted potatoes, and a side of 6 scallops. ((On the menu, there is an Add-On Favorites section with options for you to make your own combination dinner, and the sides were VERY reasonable, the side of 6 scallops was $3.95.)) My steak was cooked well, medium rare, as I ordered, but wasn’t exactly tender. The menu said it was broiled, and had good flavor, but was a bit chewy and hard to cut through. The scallops were sauteed, though they looked and tasted very much like the grilled option our table ordered as well. The broasted potatoes were nothing special, I wouldn’t order them again.

Two people in our party ordered a special, 4 Way Shrimp. This included sauteed, grilled, butterfly, and fried. The fried was by far the best, a light crunchy batter and plenty of shrimp. The sauteed and grilled looked and tasted the same, much like the scallops. Left us wondering how they were really prepared?

Both the $7.95 Tenderloin Sandwich and the $14.95 Ribeye Steak were ordered. Like the New York Strip, both steaks were a bit tough, but with good flavor. Fresh bread was a plus on the sandwich. Apparently this isn’t the place to go for steak.

The $11.95 Lake Michigan Whitefish was ordered, broiled, and looked much like the Whitefish we’d had the night before at the Water’s Edge Restaurants in Two Rivers. There was a large portion, but it was lacking flavor. A half of a pound o Sauteed Frog Legs were added from the Add-On menu for an additional $4.95.

We noticed the Machut Knee Caps for fifty cents a piece offered on the dessert menu. The waitress informed us they were doughnuts, so we ordered 3 to split around the table. These were by far the best part of the meal. Small doughnuts, like the ones you get at Asian restaurants, but covered in sugar and whipped cream. Delicious!

Overall, Machut’s offered a large menu, we failed to order anything that really impressed though. While the atmoshpere was definitely an authentic Wisconsin supper club, it lacked in the food department, and in the service department. The service was slow and very unaccomodating, one of the waitresses seemed downright rude. Perhaps for locals this is the place to go, but it wasn’t welcoming to outsiders at all. This was our first trip to Machut’s in Two Rivers, and I can’t forsee going back anytime soon, even for the Knee Caps…

Two Rivers Restaurants - Water's Edge

Lighthouse Inn/Water’s Edge Restaurant
1515 Memorial Dr
Two Rivers, WI 54241-3599
(920) 793-4524

The Lighthouse Inn in Two Rivers, Wisconsin is home to the Water’s Edge Restaurant. Two Rivers has been a summer destination for my family and I since I was little. We used to camp at Point Beach State Park every summer. Recently, we have begun the annual tradition of salmon fishing on Lake Michigan. Always a treat, we have traded in the camper for a hotel, and we always stay at the Lighthouse Inn.

On Friday night, as our group was arriving at different times, we went to the bar for a drink before dinner. Though busy, the staff was very attentive, keeping our glasses full, and making polite, friendly conversation. Drinks were reasonably priced, with a large selection of beers available.

Once we were all assembled, we made our way into the restaurant, our waitress brought our water and bread immediately. With 6 people, we had many questions, and our waitress was very honest. First informing us that there were only 3 orders of one of the specials left, then letting us know that the baked haddock came out as a very small portion.

To start things off right, we ordered the appetizer Sampler Platter. From the menu: “Combination of broccoli bites, mozzarella sticks, cheese nuggets, & our homemade onion rings. Served with roasted red pepper sauce and marinara sauce … $9.95″ The broccoli bites were awesome, like deep fried bites of cheesy broccoli soup. The mozzarella sticks were good, not too much breading, plenty of stringy mozzarella cheese. The cheese nuggets were everything a Wisconsin fried cheese curd should be, though they were a bit small. The homemade onion rings were my favorite part of the platter, thin, lightly battered, and perfectly fried, not too greasy. Quite a bit of food for $9.95.

I ordered the fried cod. Not very adventurous, I know. Mom and I were splitting our two dinners, and went with one fried fish meal and the other baked. The friend cod was good, big pieces of fish, battered and fried to a golden brown. Exactly like a Wisconsin fish fry should be. The homemade tartar sauce was a great treat, and a good balance for the fish. The price of my fried cod was $9.95. It came with a salad, vegetable medley (green beans, yellow beans and carrots) and choice of potato. I went with the baked potato, very good. The vegetables were good, nothing special. Well prepared, but lacking seasoning.

The other half of my meal, the portion my Mom ordered, was the baked whitefish. From the menu: “Baked fish prepared in Chablis, butter, and lemon & served with drawn butter…$10.95″ I loved it, the fish was mild and flaky. You could taste the lemon and Chablis. The drawn butter was unnecessary, the fish was so good, but I used it anyways, as it made the fish even better. Plus, I am a huge fan of anything I get to dip in butter. Typically, I order fried over baked, but in this instance, I definitely preferred the baked whitefish to the fried cod, while others at the table preferred the fried to the baked. Just a matter of taste I guess. We ordered onion rings as her side. They were the same that we had on the appetizer platter, very good.

My dad got the Herb Crusted Salmon. From the menu: “Norwegian Salmon fillet baked in a blending of herbs & breading and topped with a cucumber dill sauce … $15.95″. He reported that the salmon was good. He would know, he typically orders salmon out wherever we are. It must have been good, by the time I was ready to taste it, there wasn’t much left!

The Summer Harvest Pasta was ordered. From the menu: “Cavatappi pasta sautéed with olive oil, squash, asparagus, red pepper pesto, sun dried & grape tomatoes (vegetable side not included)* … $13.95″ With all the veggies in the dish, the vegetable side wasn’t missed. The pasta was flavorful, and vegetables were cooked well, not mushy or overdone as can easily happen in these kinds of dishes. I love sun dried tomatoes, so this was a great dish in my opinion. New to the menu, I would guess it becomes a summertime favorite!

Another order of fried cod was ordered, and loved.

My boyfriend ordered the Broasted Chicken. From the menu: “Marinated and lightly breaded chicken broasted to a golden brown exterior with a moist and tender inside.” The $12.95 4 piece meal was ordered, as I let him know I’d be wanting to try it for sure! The chicken was awesome, I love broasted chicken, and this was no exception. The skin was crunchy and well flavored, the meat was tender and not overdone. Though a bit dry in my opinion, it was still really good. It was my second favorite meal ordered, coming in after the baked white fish of course!

Overall, the Water’s Edge restaurant at the Lighthouse Inn is a wonderful place to spend the evening. From the bar to the service to the food, it’s a great environment, with an amazing view of Lake Michigan right outside. There is outdoor seating in the bar area, and windows so big you’ll feel like your outdoors in the dining area! Always a favorite place to go, this Wisconsin restaurant didn’t disappoint, as usual.

The meal fueled a great night’s sleep and gave us the energy for the 3:30 am wake up call that was necessary for our salmon fishing adventure early Saturday morning. When in Two Rivers, check out the Lighthouse Inn and the Water’s Edge restaurant!

Oshkosh Restaurants - Ardy and Ed's Drive In

Ardy and Ed’s Drive In
2413 S Main St
Oshkosh, WI 54902-7244
(920) 231-5455

This afternoon the work bunch took a little lunchtime break over to Ardy and Ed’s. None of us had ever been to this Oshkosh restaurant, but it was such a nice day, we were looking forward to sittin outside. The waitresses wear roller skates. This amazed me, as I pictured all kinds of fun accidents I’d be having if I was trying to skate and serve food at the same time!

There were 5 of us, and we opted to sit outside at one of the tables ((with umbrellas)). The menu was on the side of the building, and next to it was the bell you rang when you were ready to order. The menu was large, with lots of sandwiches and sides. We all opted to get the baskets with our sandwiches, which came with fries ((you get ketchup or tartar sauce for your fries)) and either a side salad ((dressing choices: ranch, french, thousand island)) or coleslaw.

I ordered the grilled chicken sandwich basket with fries and a side salad. The chicken sandwich was good. I told the waitress yes I wanted mayo, but next time would definitely ask for it on the side. There was a lot. There was also a lot more bun than chicken, but I feel like that happens a lot with chicken sandwiches. The chicken was real, no minced up oversize chicken nugget or anything. The salad was lacking. It was a Styrofoam cup with ice berg lettuce chopped up. I think I would try the coleslaw next time. I also got a root beer, it was very good! Our waitress didn’t tell us until after I ordered, but the grilled chicken sandwich was the special of the day, and included the root beer ((a large)) for $6.81.

Two of the girls ordered the cheeseburger. The meat was thin, but they reported it was a good burger. Both ordered ketchup and pickles on their burgers, and both used the ketchup they got with their fries to put on the burgers. Not enough ketchup? Cheeseburger baskets are &5.09 w/o tax.

Another lunch goer ordered the perch sandwich, fries, and coleslaw instead of the salad ((smart man)). He reported that the sandwich also had too much mayo/tartar sauce on it, much like my chicken sandwich. He liked the coleslaw, definitely trying it next time. Ardy and Ed’s perch sandwich was $6.69 w/o tax.

Last but not least, one of my fellow diners ordered the Hot Beef sandwich, said it was good. Looked like a BBQ sandwich with pulled beef to me. He also got the fries and side salad. The hot beef sandwich basket is $5.59 without tax.

Overall, it was a good lunch. The waitress had no problem giving us each separate checks, and was friendly. It was definitely a fun change for lunch, and I will be back when I’m craving a little old fashioned drive-in food!

Oshkosh Restaurants – Bangkok Thai

Bangkok Thai
80 Wisconsin St
Oshkosh, WI 54901-3562
(920) 232-0120

Thai food is new to me. I just didn’t grow up eating it. What can I say? I was deprived. I recently discovered Bangkok Thai in Oshkosh, and I’m a huge fan.

I can’t count how many times I’ve been to this Oshkosh restaurant, but I can tell you what I always order. #20 with Beef. The menu describes it as string beans and ginger in a red curry sauce. I add beef and pea pods ((just ask for any other veggies you want)). The price is about $12 for the dinner portion, and I live off of it for days. At Bangkok Thai, you choose the level of spice, I usually go with mild to medium, and the medium is PLENTY hot for me. Burn the lips kind of hot, in a delicious way, of course. The BF always gets the curried fried rice, he switches up the protein he adds. It’s spicy and complex. The flavor is great, and reheats well. The price for the fried rice dishes ranges from about $9 – $12 depending on the protein you choose.

When ordering in, you get a wonderful, simple soup to start your meal. We always get spring or egg rolls as well. Delicate, well seasoned, I think they’re awesome.

I definitely have a list of other dishes I’d like to try off the menu, if only my #20 wasn’t so good. One of these days I’ll have to venture a little more into Thai food, try new dishes, and new Thai restaurants. But for now, I’m glad I found Bangkok Thai, and will continue to be a loyal customer!

Oshkosh Restaurants - The Tilted Kilt

Tilted Kilt
1051 S Washburn St
Oshkosh, WI 54904-8052
(920) 651-8844

Last Friday was my boyfriend’s birthday, and for his birthday lunch we went to the Tilted Kilt. Now, as far as Oshkosh restaurants go, the Tilted Kilt was not reeeal high on my list of places to try. Birthdays trump my list though, so away we went.

The waitresses wear plaid skirts, knee high socks, and white shirts tied above their stomachs, revealing lots of leg and stomach. Not offensive but definitely more skin than Hooters.

We ordered the Five Quid Squid as an appetizer. We had just had Calamari at Becket’s, and it was nowhere near as good at the Tilted Kilt. It had pretty good flavor, but was definitely too chewy for my liking. We had a friend with us who had never tried calamari, and he hated it. His description was deep fried rubber bands. Pretty accurate.

For my meal I ordered the Scottish Cheesesteak with regular fries (I could have had Garlic Fries, but I’m a sucker for Malt Vinegar on my French Fries). The sandwich was very good. The steak was tender, the peppers and onions were well cooked, the bread was toasted, and the Provolone cheese was melted. The fries were good too, great with the malt vinegar.

The boyfriend had the Irish Dip. It was the same as my sandwich, but without the peppers, and with Swiss cheese instead of Provolone. The Aus Jus was salty, saltier than I like, but it got the job done. He also ordered the regular fries, though he is not a malt vinegar fan.

Our friend ((the calamari hater)) ordered Maggie Mae’s Fish and Chips. The fish was overly fried, with a whole lot of batter. The first few bites yielded very little fish, and just a lot of fry. Not something I’d try again. That disappointed me, I love a good fish fry.

The bar was empty, and there weren’t very many people in the place. The largest group was a family, 3 kids and both parents. Kind of suprised me. Definitely wasn’t expecting “The Best Looking Sports Pub” be a family go-to place. To each their own though. The BF had been there once before and said it was packed with businessmen for lunch the first time he’d went. So we credited the Friday before the 4th of July as the reason it was so empty.

Overall, the Tilted Kilt seemed to have pretty good bar food, though it was a bit expensive. The bill for all three of us to eat was over $40 and we only had waters to drink. I can’t see myself becoming a regular, but I won’t refuse to go back.