Opening: August 18, 2014 Our Sizzle Has New Swagger. Ruths Chris at IronWorks As we celebrate our 20th anniversary, almost to the exact day of our grand opening, we couldnt be more excited to show you the new generation of Ruths Chris on Indys north side. Youll fall in steak love with the modern yet elegant atmosphere of the dining room, private room spaces and uber glamorous four-sided bar with retractable doors opening to a large open air patio. And, thats just the first floor. Take the stairs, yes we have stairs, up to the second level with a lounge/bar space with bottle service. Top Indy barman stirs at new Ironworks Ruth’s Chris: Login DINING Top Indy barman stirs at new Ironworks Ruth’s Chris: Zach Wilks was co-owner of and a signature bartender at Mass Ave.’s Ball & Biscuit. When it opened in 2010, few area bartenders were muddling herbs and reinventing vintage cocktails, as happens at many lounges today. Now, Wilks will mix drinks at the new Ruth’s Chris Steak House when it opens Monday at Ironworks Keystone, a retail/residential complex under construction at 86th Street and North Keystone Avenue. Although Ruth’s Chris is a franchise restaurant with a set cocktail list, Wilks and fellow Ruth’s Chris “liquid chef” Jordan Ward have autonomy to create drinks exclusive to the Ironworks location, said Ryan Craig, operating partner at the restaurant. Ward transferred from the nearby Ruth’s Chris at 96th and Keystone, which the Ironworks location is replacing. Expect debut cocktails when the restaurant opens and a regularly changing cocktail list, Craig said. In 2012, Esquire magazine deemed Ball & Biscuit one of America’s best bars. Late that year, Wilks left Ball & Biscuit to pursue a cocktail mixers line named Wilks & Wilson. The company is doing well, Wilks said. Its “elixirs” are distributed in 13 states, according to the Wilks & Wilson website. Meantime, Wilks has taken bartending shifts here and there, but he missed regular bar work and its associated income. “All of these pursuits of mine have been pursuits of passion,” Wilks said “There’s still bills to pay.” Even as Wilks & Wilson grows, Wilks won’t step away from mixology. “I see myself behind a bar once a week for the rest of my life,” he said. Ruth’s Chris is not Wilks’ first corporate bartending gig. He worked for The Oceanaire Seafood Room for seven years before opening Ball & Biscuit, Wilks said. The new Ruth’s Chris was especially appealing due to the company’s devotion to high-quality dining and large numbers of guests the Ironworks location will serve, he said. The 500-seat restaurant includes a 10,000-square-foot main level hosting a 36-seat bar opening to a 3,000-square-foot patio. “As long as I’ve been in the business and as long as I’ve done this (bartending), I’ve never opened a new restaurant on this scale,” Wilks said. Ruth’s Chris already uses Wilks & Wilson grenadine and its lime mint syrup, Wilks said. He’ll also bring the bar samples of Wilks & Wilson’s soon-to-debut bitters line, Wilks said. So, what does Wilks drink with a steak? “It depends,” he said. “If I’m (having) cocktails, a Sazerac, but, and a lot of people don’t know this, I’m also a sommelier, so a big cab or a big zin.”
Posted on: Sun, 17 Aug 2014 19:09:20 +0000
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