The New Kitchen Dream Team at the Raymond Restaurant

(Gerry Furth-Sides) The Raymond Restaurant in Pasadena has been a top favorite or our’s through the years – as a historic place, for its impeccable food and service, for its enchanting atmosphere.  So sharing it with New York foodie visitors was a must.  Each new Raymond Restaurant kitchen team has their own take of updating  American regional classics, which might have been served to the Pasadena families “up for the summer” from Los Angeles a century ago.

We were also eager to try Executive Chef Jon Hung‘s new savory menu with desserts by Alexa Clark   Masters of Taste.  Diners would probably not know what “Hummus” was unless they traveled to the middle east, let alone Executive chef Jon Hung’s eclectic, version with Huumus with Kalamata olive and fermented shiitake tapenade, served with crispy corn tortillas that makes an art statement as well as a culinary one.

There were three of us to please, including one vegetarian and one paleo.  We chose Chef Jon’s Broccoli and White Bean Salad to start after much deliberation because equally appealing to all on the menu were the Escarole and Strawberry Salad with Arugula, balsamic vinaigrette and the Baby Pen Salad with Pickled watermelon radish, cherry tomatoes and green goddess dressing, along with the Sugar Snap and Burrata, with Mizuna, saved carrots and mint that is dressed with a champagne vinaigrette.  Even the classic Chopped Cobb Salad would be a go-to on a hot summer day here.

More familiar to diners everythere is the BLT, which Chef Hung dressed up with Jalapeño bacon, bib lettuce, fried green tomatoes and a remoulade.  The Jalapeño in the bacon and the crunchy of the fried green tomato crust added a snap to the sandwich.  Every bite made a statement in terms of flavor and texture. Sweet potato fries, at the same time, lent a rich but lighter element to the dish.

What a beauty of a dessert list by Pastry Chef, Alexa Clark, who described her goal of updating classics into a balanced but unique dish, as , “Guests want something they cannot easily make at home, but something that is also familiar.”   This is obvious in her Peanut Butter Mousse with the culinary craze,  Nutella, in a  cremeux, plus honeycomb, cinnamon condensed milk, and lime gel. A classic Linzer Tort because her  Hazelnut Linzer Tart with housemade black currant cranberry preserves, citrus caramel creme, and sugared pepitas.

The Raymond 1886, Pasadena’s historic Craftsman cottage on South Fair Oaks Avenue at one time housed a caretaker’s cottage for the grand Raymond Hotel in the late 1800s.  It is just a short ride away from Pasadena’s main attractions, including the Rose Bowl, Norton Simon Museum, Descanso Gardens and a new Thursday Farmer’s Market.

The Raymond 1886 Hours:  Lunch Tuesday -Friday from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm, Dinner every Tuesday through Sunday from 5:30 to 10:00 pm.   Brunch Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 am to 2:30 pm. The 1886 bar hours: Sunday, Tuesday through Thursday from 11:30 am to 12:00 Midnight; Friday-Saturday from 11:30 am to 2:00 am.  Happy Hour: Tuesday -Friday,  4:00 pm to 7:00 pm. For more information or reservations, please visit www.TheRaymond.com or call The Raymond 1886 directly at 626.441.3136.

We were headed to an evening performance in Highland Park, so a leisurely late lunch followed by a walk around at the nearby South Pasadena Farmers Market bundled the events into a perfect full day.  My visitors pointed out the beautiful street curb flowers. We would have been happy just staying at The Raymond 1886 and sipping on cocktails all afternoon too.  Read our coverage below.

The staff changes and the staff stays.  Read about this veteran below.  Five-star hotel service reigns here, and every one of the crew seems delighted to be here.

//localfoodeater.com/pasadena-raymond-place-lunch/