restaurant

Anaheim White House – Elegant and delicious

Posted on by Francine Brokaw


From the time you drive up to the valet, you know your experience at the Anaheim White House is going to be something special. This Italian Steak House is situated about a five to ten minute drive from the Disneyland Resort. It is fine dining to the 10th degree. The restaurant received the 2025 Restaurant of the Year from The Los Angeles Tribune as well as other honors through the years. 

The restaurant used to be a mansion for over 50 years then in 1987 it became a restaurant and has been a favorite among foodies ever since. It is now an historical landmark.

The decor is elegant. White with gold accents and frescos throughout. It is not difficult to imagine the rooms in the actual White House in Washington, D.C. They are that beautiful.

 

 

Besides the many rooms inside the house, they have outside seating in an elegant courtyard, and a second building decorated with the same white and gold decor, along with a bar.

So, what is on the menu that is tasty? Everything. They have a wide variety of Appetizers, Caviar, Soup & Salads, Pasta, Pizza, Seafood, Steaks & Meat, and several side dishes. Plus, an amazing array of Desserts. Everything is ala carte.

What did we try?

They start everyone off with some delicious rolls and butter. The bread is wonderful but do not fill up on it as there is plenty more to come.

For our appetizer we shared the Tempura Artichoke Hearts (V and GF). This was amazing.  There are four artichoke hearts in a light tempura batter. They’re topped with Burrata cheese and Italian pesto. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.  Honestly, I could have eaten all four but I wanted to save room for the rest of the meal.

One of our entrees was Pasta Calabrese (V), which is pasta tossed with extra virgin olive oil, artichoke hearts, and seasonal vegetables. This time there was squash and asparagus. All I can say is “wow.” 

Another entree was Braised Beef (GF). This consisted of braised beef in a Cabernet Sauvignon reduction. It was served with Horseradish cream and sits on a bed of polenta. Another “wow.”

Dessert was a Banana Tart. It melts in your mouth. Layers of baked puffed pastry, caramelized bananas, chocolate ganache, and Chantilly whipped cream combined to make this a dessert I will happily enjoy again. It is served with crème anglaise and vanilla ice cream with some sliced bananas on the side.

Every dish was plated beautifully. Each dish looked like a work of art. They really go out of their way to make the dining experience something for your eyes and taste buds. Even the napkins are folded to represent the grand experience. They are little tuxedo jackets, however there is no dress code so no tuxedos or black tie is necessary. Just clean, presentable attire.

This is a destination for various parties, special events, banquets, and weddings. It is that grand.

If you are in Southern California and in the mood for an elegant and delicious meal, check it out. And if you are visiting the Disneyland Resort, you might want to go off property for a very special dinner.

And, yes they have a children’s menu for kids 12 and under. Children under 5 eat free with an adult entree purchase.

The Anaheim White House is located at 887 S. Anaheim Blvd., in Anaheim, California. (714) 772-1381.

I highly recommend this restaurant.

Their hours are: 

Wed & Thu:  5:00 PM to 9:30 PM
Fri & Sat:  5:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Sunday:  5:00 PM to 9:30 PM
Mon & Tue: Closed

There are too many other dishes to list, however the variety of food is immense. Their menu is on their website. The history of the location as well as their charitable causes are also worth reading on the website.

About the Reviewer

Francine Brokaw has been covering travel, products, and all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 35 years. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites.

This is an unsolicited review with no gratuity.

The Old Spaghetti Factory in Riverside, CA

Posted on by Francine Brokaw


Unlike several Old Spaghetti Factory restaurants, the one in Riverside, California is open for lunch as well as dinner. It is located near the historic Mission Inn, a fun destination spot for special occasions. The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa is a unique place to stay when visiting the Riverside area.

The Old Spaghetti Factory is one of the popular locations for family celebrations. As most OSF restaurants are decorated somewhat the same, this one is no different. There is an old trolly in the center of the dining room with tables and booths around this trolly which is another place for seating, which especially delights kids.

The menu is consistent with the others in the chain, with their famous 3-course meal: Bread with soup or salad, entrée, spumoni or vanilla ice cream.

One of their side dishes is a healthy portion of broccoli covered with their special Mizithra cheese. This is a unique flavor, making the broccoli tasty even the pickiest kids will most likely enjoy eating their vegetables with the Mizithra.

The Meat Lovers Treat includes meatballs, sausage, and spaghetti in a rich meat sauce. This is one way of getting protein with your pasta!

Their spinach & cheese ravioli is covered in a savory marinara sauce. The pillows of pasta are filled with a spinach and cheese mixture for a delicious combination to delight taste buds.

There’s not much else to say about this restaurant because if you have been to one OSF you pretty much know what to expect. This is a fun location located in the heart of Riverside, California.

They offer a gluten-friendly menu, senior size entrées, a kid’s menu, and Murder Mystery Dinners (check with the restaurant for details).

About the Reviewer

Francine Brokaw writes about travel, restaurants, products, and all aspects of entertainment. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites.

The Tuscany Gardens is the place to dine in Las Vegas

Posted on by Francine Brokaw



While many visitors to Sin City spend most of their time on the Strip, it’s worth venturing a block away to The Tuscany Suites and Casino where you’ll find one of the best restaurants in the city. The Tuscany Gardens is not only a beautiful setting for a nice dinner, but the food is delicious and the presentation is perfection.

Chef Jose has created some of the most mouth-watering selections for guests, and the sommelier pairs the perfect wine with every dish, or of course, you can select your own.

So, what should you order? Honestly, everything looked delicious so it was hard to select. Our party started with a Hearts of Palm Salad, which included avocado, sweet onions, Mozzarella, capers, and vinaigrette. This combination is amazing. We also tried the Caprese with tomato, Burrata cheese, and fresh basil drizzled with balsamic vinegar. Tasty is not a strong enough word for these. I could have made an entire meal out of this delicious antipasto and the salad.

With three of us, we decided to each try a different entree: Veal Piccata, Halibut, and Eggplant “Lasagna.” The Eggplant “Lasagna” does not include any noodles, hence the quote marks. This is a delicious dish with layers and layers of thinly sliced eggplant with ricotta, parmigiano, and mozzarella. It’s basically carb-friendly. I highly recommend this to vegetarians. I am definitely going to order this again when I get back to Las Vegas. The Veal and Halibut also received rave reviews by my tablemates. Each of them included broccolini as a side dish.

For dessert lovers, there is a nice selection to finish your meal. Unfortunately, with only three of us we couldn’t order them all. Darn it! We had spumoni, lemon sorbet, and the Torta Al Cioccolato, which is a molten chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream. How can you go wrong with any of these? Next time we’ll try the Nutella Cheesecake, the Tiramisu, the Crème Brulee, or the Cannoli. I’ll have to remember to leave room for dessert, but the eggplant was so wonderful I couldn’t stop eating it.

The staff is equal to the food. If you get a chance, request Hilda. She provides service and suggestions unequal to many others in the business. What a treat to enjoy a relaxing dinner undeterred by the haste of the goings-on on the strip.

The Tuscany has been named as a Top Dining Choice by “What’s On Magazine, won the Award of Excellence by “Wine Spectator,” and the #4 Most Romantic Restaurant in Las Vegas by “Open Table.”

Whether you want a romantic dinner or simply just good food in a relaxing environment, The Tuscany Gardens is one place I highly recommend. With Italian selections, fish, and meats, there’s something for everyone.
Note: Since this article was originally published, I went back to Las Vegas and while there I made a beeline to this restaurant. The eggplant lasagna was just as good as I remembered!

About the Reviewer

Francine Brokaw writes about products, travel, and entertainment. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.

Follow her on Twitter