The Raymond Restaurant: The Old is New Again

Ahh…Sunday Brunch, nothing better than sitting outside on a sunny day and enjoying a glass of champagne or maybe a mimosa while nibbling on delicious delicacies. Perhaps there’s no better spot to do that than the venerable Raymond Restaurant, where a new General Manager has swept in with inspired new take on brunch – and even offers brunch on Fridays on Saturdays.

A lot is new besides brunch at this long-established, quaint cottage cum restaurant.   Tucked away as it is and so traditional in atmosphere, The Raymond has been a bit too easy to overlook for a while – now that’s changed with a new General Manager bringing in fresh enthusiasm and attitude.

“Our goal is to make The Raymond a premier dining destination in Pasadena and beyond,” says new General Manager, Chris Mangandi. His philosophy fits right in with Executive Chef Tim Guiltinan’s vision and use of unique ingredients on The Raymond’s new Brunch menu.

Not just your normal bacon and eggs, The Raymond’s new brunch menu offers things like Savory Cheddar and Herb Cakes, Not Your Old Fashioned Buttermilk Pancakes and Pineapple French Toast. Decisions, decisions what’s a person to do? Maybe try a bit of each!

Leading the way was Chef Guiltinan’s freshly baked cinnamon roll. These rolls more closely resemble a muffin and are studded with plenty of cinnamon goodness and hazelnuts. The crowning glory is the schmear of cream cheese frosting. Not overly sweet like some, these cinnamon rolls made a great beginning to our brunch.

I chose to accompany my brunch with one of the Raymond’s Fresh Peach Bellinis and my companion picked the mimosa made with freshly squeezed Texas sweet orange juice. The drinks were just what we needed to add to the relaxing atmosphere.

Savory Cheddar and Herb Cakes layered with Nueskie’s smoked ham, spinach, and sautéed mushrooms were topped with a perfectly poached egg. I gently cut into the yolk and it came cascading down to envelope the dish with a rich sauce. Served with an assortment of fresh fruit this dish easily fills the gap between breakfast and lunch fare.

What’s brunch without Eggs Benedict? But how about Eggs Benedict served with a bit of tarragon-flavored cream cheese, shaved asparagus and layers of smoked salmon? Is you mouth watering? Mine was and it tasted every bit as good as I anticipated. You can also get your Eggs Benedict served the traditional way or vegetarian-style with mushrooms, grilled tomato and arugula.

A good bagel is always in order for breakfast, I love them served with smoked salmon and all the fixings like red onion, capers and chopped egg. Well Chef Guiltinan has gone above and beyond the traditional. Imagine a lightly toasted bagel topped with tarragon cream cheese and layered with thinly sliced Serrano ham, red onions, caper berries and chopped tomato with just a touch of dill. Touches of anise, bits of smoke and a drop of tang crossed my taste buds as I enjoyed this unique take on the ordinary.

A cup of freshly pressed coffee, Guatemalan; dark, rich and aromatic accompanied my “dessert” of Pineapple French Toast. Thick-eggy brioche is made into a bread-pudding like French Toast and is topped with bits of candied pineapple that has been caramelized with cinnamon and studded with vanilla bean. This was so good, a bit sweet, a bit tart and a whole lot of yum.

The Raymond is also offering lunch items during brunch hours for those that prefer sandwiches and such. The Raymond is located at 1250 Fair Oaks Avenue, Pasadena. They are open for brunch on Friday from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, 9:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Dinner hours are Tuesday – Saturday, 5:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. and Sunday, 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. For more reservations and more information call (626) 441-3136 or log onto www.theraymond.com.