Garden outside Tocca Ferro. Photo courtesy of JW Marriott.
Tocca Ferro, an elegant new Italian chophouse, is just a short walk from Disneyland and California Adventure. Located at the JW Marriott Anaheim Resort, which opened in 2020, Tocca Ferro made its debut in July.
Though the resort is family-friendly, it’s also luxurious, with adult-oriented escapes like Tocca Ferro and Parkestry, the 11th floor rooftop bar renowned for stunning views of sunsets and Disneyland fireworks.
Everything at Tocca Ferro is made from scratch. It’s a sophisticated, fine dining restaurant focused on excellent service, with a staff that’s welcoming, professional, and hospitable. Executive chef Adam Haverland, trained in classical French cooking, also has a great understanding of Italian cuisine.
A wall of floor-to-ceiling windows allows for gorgeous garden views. A bounty of vegetables, herbs, and fruits are grown in the garden and used at Tocca Ferro, making dining here a seed-to-table experience.
Gallery images by Karin E. Baker for The LA Beat
The compound butter that accompanies the bread includes herbs from the garden. The amuse bouche changes nightly. During our visit, it was made up of roasted beets and creamy burrata studded with tiny flowers.
Though the menu is quite classic, it’s not predictable. The house-made ravioli, with chunks of lobster, leek, ricotta, meyer lemon zest, blistered tomatoes, English peas, beurre monte, sweet basil oil, and parmigiano reggiano, was a standout, as was the Tocca Meatball. Made with Wagyu beef and ground pork, the savory meatballs are served with stewed tomatoes, pecorino, and grilled rosemary focaccia.
Main course options include Milanese Risotto and Osso Bucco, served with brussels sprouts hash and tomato ragu, and hand-rolled Ricotta Gnocchi Carbonara with squash blossoms, pancetta, and wild mushrooms. We overheard raves about the squid ink spaghetti with Little Neck clams.
Tocca Ferro. Image courtesy of JW Marriott.
For dessert, enjoy the best of both worlds – creamy and crunchy – with the Madagascar Vanilla Bean Crème Brulée topped with a seasonal macaron. Also noteworthy: chocolate soufflè, filled with warm, salted caramel and dressed in strawberry coulis, fresh berries, and powdered sugar.
The cocktail list is made up of Italian-inspired classics. I enjoyed The Godfather, a variation on an Old Fashioned. Made with Knob Creek bourbon, a touch of sugar, smoke and oak bitters, Luxardo cherry, and a curl of orange peel, it’s then smoked in your choice of four different woods.
An escape from the everyday, Tocca Ferro is located at 1775 S. Clementine Street in Anaheim. More information
