Raymond's (Ridgewood Location)

I have a general rule of thumb that has proven me correct about 90% of the time about diners in NJ.  If a diner has some type of  brick face/ stone work on the outside, you probably found a really good diner to eat at.   Most diners that are all steel or "modern"  usually don't pan out too well.  There are a few exceptions that I have found over the years, but mostly any diner with brick face is good to go.

Raymond's

I usually don't do this so fast about a place, but I can't help myself.   So diners are pretty commonplace here in New Jersey.  I would be comfortable to say that New Jersey has more diners than people.  Finding a good diner is pretty hard to do.  Most diners serve the same food pretty much across the board.   It's rare for me to say that a diner is amazing, and with that in mind this place was pretty amazing.  I know that I just gave away the ending to my review, but stick around cause it gets better.

This place is a newly established dinner in Ridgewood, NJ.  It's fairly unassuming when you look at it from the outside.   Yes, it has brick face on it so my hopes were already high on it.  It had a very simple look on the outside, which I like.  

I walk into the door and I was greeted by not one BUT two hostesses.  They kindly greeted me and did their normal job.  I was quickly seated at my table.   I was then given a menu.  Possible the best menu I have seen in a while.  I say this cause it was only ONE page.  Yes, I know a one page menu is pretty unheard of especially in the dinner game.  Most dinners that I have been to in my life give you a 10 page menu that has like size 8 font on it so they can cram in a lot.   This place was like NOPE here is what we have take it or leave it.

So after i adjusted to the idea of a one page menu the waitress (Nancy) walks over and asks if I knew what I wanted.  I order my standard coffee and ask her what she would recommend to me.  She rattles off a few of her top choices.  Then, as if she was struck by lighting, she enthusiastically recommended the french toast.  The sales pitch and tone of her voice really sold me on the idea.  So I sat there for about 5-8 minutes.  The following image is what they brought out to me

I have said this in the past, but it needs repeating.  I usually do not take pictures of my food.  I like to craft my words in a way that you would enjoy the meal of my words.  This is one of the exceptions.  Almost like crostinis that were re-purposed for french toast.  They were light and delicious.  They also had a center that I can only describe as creamy.  I poured the syrup on top to bring it home.  The fresh little fruits on the side combined with the french toast were a revelation.

Midway into my meal I felt the meal needed a side of scrambled eggs.  In my mind this meal was already complete, but you can't really go wrong with eggs and french toast.  I really had nothing in mind for the eggs, cause eggs are eggs.  Everyone makes them and there is no real way to make them better.  Plus, I asked for them to be scrambled soft you can't improve on something so simple.  I WAS WRONG.  I can honestly say that this was THE best eggs I have ever had in my life.  Seriously best eggs ever.  I was later told that the eggs were farm fresh eggs from a local farm not too far away.  Nancy had told me that they get the eggs fresh pretty much daily.  I then replied to her that that was possibly the first time I had real eggs.  Now I don't know if I can ever go back.

So basically, I love this place.  This has dethroned many of my favorite diners in NJ.  It has possibly set the bar high for many of my favorite restaurants.  They have taken my most favorite ideas of how a restaurant should be; simple, fresh and easy.   This place was so good that it made me mad.  I usually try not to gush over food and restaurants.   I try to put my emotions to the side, but when I encounter some place that does it right in so many ways, I can't help myself.   I am now honestly trying to find excuses to go there more often, because if breakfast was that good I can only imagine dinner.   I highly recommend going.  Make/find an excuse to go.  You will not be disappointed.


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For more information follow the link below:

http://www.raymondsnj.com/index.html

Please be advised that the location on the ridgewood raymond's has not been added yet.  Address is as follows 101 E Ridgewood Ave, Ridgewood, NJ 07450.  


Also on a more personal it's my brother's birthday today.  Happy Birthday.  Love you.