Ruth and Chris' in the Hilton in Wilmington North Carolina was a breath of fresh air in downtown Wilmington which seems to have fallen on hard times. A quick drive down Front Street after getting in from Long Island at 11 pm reminded me of some of my favorite films: Night of the Living Dead, Escape from New York, etc.
If I exaggerate it is not by much. Co-ed types staggered down the street, scuzzy looking dudes lurked about. The next day a quick jog around the same area saw a Downtown that seemed to have morphed from a place with some real promise into a place with bar after seedy bar, over-flowing trash bins for blocks and quite a few guys rumaging through the trash and stealing newspapers from businesses.
So much for that. For what it is worth, Ruth and Chris' in the Hilton was one of the few places in the Downtown with a serious upgrade since we left. The Hilton has been the only Hotel of consequence in the Downtown for many years and the Hotel's farily recent renovation has simply placed the bar even higher.
Our daughter works there during the night shift and we were amazed at how chic and sleek the place has become (it was a bit on the frumpy side when we left in 2000). Lynn and I had a drink in the bar. I had my favorite vodka martini with Campari ("I have never heard of that combination," the bartender said) which was really nicely made (with a frozen glass!).
