THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, November 2, 1995 TAG: 9510310082
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 22 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: On the Town
SOURCE: Sam Martinette
LENGTH: Medium: 70 lines
Even my wife was impressed last week when I told her I was having lunch at the White House, conjuring visions of Jack and Jackie, pillbox hats, Ronnie dozing off after lunch and Barbara B. walking the best-selling dog.
But would I jog with the Prez, Julie asked?
Ah, no. I was talking about the White House Cafe on York Street in downtown Norfolk, which offers a $3.95 buffet weekdays from 11 to 3.
I was in on a Thursday, ``Country & Western Day'' at the White House. The fixin's included pork barbecue, spare ribs, fried chicken, baked beans, coleslaw, corn on the cob, potato salad, a steamship round (or a turkey or ham), a baked potato bar for decorating spuds and a 20-item salad bar.
Friday is ``Catfish Friday'' at the White House (maybe it isn't so different from that other White House). In addition to fried catfish, you'll find pan-fried Ocean View spot while they're running, broiled flounder, fried chicken (OK, it's on the buffet most days), a bowl of steamed shrimp on every table, some down-home collards and kale, the aforementioned salads and the daily dessert bar, featuring self-serve ice cream, homemade brownies, sticky buns, cakes, pies and cobblers.
And, my fellow Americans, on Tuesdays the White House salutes the contributions of Italians to our great land (it's quite easy to get silly as election day nears), with an Italian buffet offering lasagna, sausage and spaghetti, ravioli, eggplant, veal or chicken parmigiana, baked ziti and salads.
Mondays and Wednesdays are for comfort food - corned beef and cabbage, Salisbury steak, meatloaf, chicken liver and gravy, pork chops, macaroni and cheese. Dare I call them Eisenhower eats? The food of the '40s and '50s, rediscovered and revitalized.
``You'll find homemade soups, spoon bread, even hot beets on the buffet some days,'' said Lee Bozeman, speaker of the house - I mean owner. Even though Bozeman didn't name the place the White House, he bought the business on Flag Day, June 14, 1994, in keeping with the patriotic theme.
Bozeman said the track record of the place - the fact that a number of incumbents had come and gone - didn't bother him.
``I think people are starting to feel good about downtown again,'' he said. ``We're on the edge of downtown and the fringes of Ghent, so we have the best of both worlds. And we knew our concept would work. In the past this place wasn't consistent, and that's one of the things we've prided ourselves on over the past 17 months since we took over - our consistency. We knew we had to perform.
``The people who work downtown have been very good to us. We know about 90 percent of our regulars by face, and some come for lunch two or three times a week.''
Speaking of lunch, you don't have to get the buffet. If you're trying to balance the budget you might vote for a grilled cheese ($1.95), tuna on white bread or a BLT ($2.95). Or possibly elect a Reuben or grilled chicken breast teriyaki sandwich ($4.95). A burger is $4.75. The club sandwich is $5.95.
Head Chef Leon Thompson's pork barbecue is excellent, and if it isn't on the buffet, you can order a sandwich for $4.95.
At night the White House is a dance club, with a DJ and an occasional cover charge. The dinner menu is being revised, but Bozeman told me that by the time you read this he will be offering fondue (priced by the number of participants) Wednesday through Saturday nights, two-for-one prime rib dinners and other nightly specials.
``We're really looking forward to the `Phantom' and the theater season,'' Bozeman said. ``Last year we knew whenever there was a hockey game without a schedule. That's when downtown Norfolk stops being just a 9-to-5 thing.'' by CNB