Best of Delaware

It’s impossible for us to choose between chef Mark Chopko’s classics at the Courtyard or chef James Lauser’s at the Brasserie. Both are pure crab. Both are the very essence of the Eastern Shore.

From 2012:

Tucked into the Hilton Wilmington-Christiana, Brasserie Grill offers a menu of steak house favorites—all certified Angus beef—with a bounteous haul of fresh seafood.The wine list offers many worthy matches.

From 2010:

Under the able hands of chef and Hotel Dupont alum James Lauser, Brasserie Grille inside the Wilmington-Christiana Hilton is a gem worth seeking out. Culling ingredients from local purveyors whenever possible, Lauser has crafted an uptown steakhouse menu that includes his beloved pan-seared crab cakes, and herb-rubbed Angus beef.

From 2009:

You may discover the Brasserie Grille during your stay at the Christiana Hilton. But if you haven’t checked in lately, you may have missed the restaurant’s fine cuisine, handsome wood decor and cozy bar. Chef James A. Lauser oversees inventive specials, but his kitchen is known for producing nearly perfect steaks broiled at 1,600 degrees, a temperature that seals in juices. Another notable dish is the tropical shrimp Cobb salad, a colorful display of papaya, pineapple and avocado dressed in an orange pecan vinaigrette. The sommelier’s list offers several interesting wines from Italy, France, California and Australia, to name a few. Popular choices include the L’Ecole No. 41 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley—which earned a score of 91 by Wine Spectator—as well as Franciscan Oakville Estate Cuvée Sauvage, a crisp white with hints of pineapple and vanilla. Wine Spectator rated Cuvée Sauvage among the top 100 wines of the world.