“Come with me and you’ll be, in a world of pure imagination”.

You know that song right? It’s “Pure Imagination” from, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. It’s also the song that played in my mind when the waitress, Lainey, placed the first plate of food in front of me. The sound of Gene Wilder’s voice started almost instantly as the white dish with the appetizer slowly descended to the table. Sorry, I got ahead of myself. Let me rewind and start at the beginning.

Early in February I was invited to The Raymond to check out their brunch menu. It was possibly the best brunch I’ve ever tastefully annihilated. After chatting with Chef Tim, I was invited back to the restaurant to see how the dinner menu would compare. I grabbed the homie TJ and we went to The Raymond to experience the menu that comes out when the lights go dim. Our waitress, Lainey, was completely essential to this dinner. She was cheerful, patient, and did an excellent job at guiding us through the dishes. The dinner menu is divided into three parts: Quick Bites, Starters, and Entrees. Lainey’s suggestion: order a few starters since they’re solid portions and great dishes to share. Did we listen? Of course not! We would regret that when we would become stuffed with too much food. But, we’ll get to that part later.

First we ordered drinks. TJ went the manly route and got the Athol Base ($14)–a stiff scotch with honey, cream and nutmeg. Surprisingly, the scotch wasn’t overwhelming. Instead, the additions of honey, cream, and nutmeg eased the harshness of the scotch so it didn’t taste too aggressive. That in no way means it wasn’t strong, somehow the bartender managed to keep the intensity of the alcohol in tact even after adding the sweet flavors. I took the safe route and got something on the tart side. I ordered the Primms ($14)–Russian Standard Vodka Primms with cucumber, citrus, carbonated lemonade and a mint leaf to top it off. I loved this drink! It was very tart thanks to the citrus and the lemonade, and the cucumber with the mint gave it a distinguishably fresh aftertaste. As someone who doesn’t care much for the taste of alcohol, this drink was great because the vodka was well hidden under the additions. It made it deliciously easy to drink and I was eager to order another. So yeah, I did.

For our Quick Bites, I ordered the Sticky Potato ($10) and TJ got the Hand Cut Smoked Onion Rings ($9). Lainey praised the onion rings, but personally I’ve never liked them at any restaurant. Seeing that TJ would get them meant I could sample the rings and he could keep them if they sucked. On the other hand, if they were great I would just be greedy and eat them when he looks away.

And that’s when the Wonka song began to play.

The sticky potatoes were fantastic! The itty bitty potatoes were swimming in Korean red chili and topped with sesame seeds, cilantro, and scallions. The sauce made the potatoes captivating and hard to eat silently. Then there were the onion rings served with homemade aged Worcestershire. They completely live up to what I thought was just hype. Some places fry their rings to the point that they are soaked in oil, but not The Raymond. The onion was so huge that it felt like it could have filled me up. I’m still not sure what tasted better: the onion rings or the sauce. I think the answer is the rings because they’re good enough to eat on their own.

After the quick bites, our starters arrived. I ordered the Mexican Shrimp and Corn Soup ($12) and TJ got the Indonesian Shrimp and Little Neck Clams ($16). Let me start off by saying this soup is amazing. The menu description includes grandma’s mole, pumpkin, and spicy pepitas. It’s beyond creamy, smooth, and soft! The presentation is equally gorgeous: bright yellow soup with shrimp and pumpkin seeds floating through the soup. The clams were dressed with a pale ale, potatoes, and a smoked XO sauce. XO sauce is a spicy seafood sauce of lemon grass, red chili, and garlic, which gives it a big kick of flavor. The clams were easy to pull out of the shell and they were truly appetizing!

Here’s where we started to feel full, and where we should have listened to Lainey.

The last meal was the entrée. First to arrive was the Short Rib ($35) and then came my Grilled Hanger Steak ($34). TJ’s short rib was cooked medium rare and it was delicious. It came with liquefied potatoes, radish-onion-carrot slaw, and haricot vert. It was beautiful. It had a variety of colors and smelled of the richest scents that made us both want us devour it instantly. But my dish, the hanger steak, was perfection. It came with smoked potatoes, roasted carrots, and was coated with bacon flavor. It may look small, but this is where the phrase: “looks can be deceiving” comes into play. Despite the seemingly small size it’s more than enough, expecially when you realize how succulent it is. The taste and the aroma of this dish was something out of a dream! It was cooked medium rare so it oozed with flavor. The best part of it was the bacon seasoning. It made the whole dish come together and made it mouth-watering.

And how could I forget, dessert! I got the Classic Crème Brulee ($12). I don’t know when I became obsessed with crème brulee, but it is my favorite dessert. I repeat: it’s my favorite dessert. That’s for those of you who may be taking notes about what I love to eat. Want to get me something just because: make it a crème brulee. I loved the burnt layer of sugar and the rich thick custard. It was the ideal way to close the entire meal. TJ went with the French Style Drinking Chocolate ($10) since he’s a little kid and wants to drink chocolate. It was paired with a set of seasonal cookies that you can dip into the chocolate. It was delicious and hearty. My only suggestion, if you get full easily, this dish may not be best for you because it is packed.

I can’t express how much I love this restaurant. The décor is beautiful and makes you want to stay inside long after you’re done eating. The food parallels the aesthetics of the restaurant and tastes better than you can imagine. Fragrance, presentation, and flavor all exceed your expectations. And then there’s the staff. The waiters know the menu inside and out to help you pair items to create great meals. And the fact that they’re so sweet and funny makes you feel extremely welcome. The only negative is the dinner is expensive. Although the price point might be higher than you would like, the impeccable taste in each bite makes it all worth it.

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Address: 1250 S Fair Oaks Ave, Pasadena, CA 91105
Phone: (626) 441-3136
Hours: Monday – Closed, Tuesday to Friday – 11:30am to 2:30pm and 5:30pm to 10:00pm; Saturday and Sunday – 9:00am to 2:30pm and 5:30pm to 10:00pm.
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