Aahana Swrup
‘Maxton Hall: The World Between Us‘ brings a tale of a torrid romance that remains plagued by a daunting class divide. The central characters, Ruby Bell and James Beaufort, present prime examples of opposites attract. While Ruby retains a need for control and structure, James possesses a unique brand of recklessness that only emerges from a lifetime spent as a millionaire heir. Consequently, as the duo is forced into cooperation by their circumstances, their personalities clash, leading to an undeniable spark. Nevertheless, the duo’s equally undeniable differences threaten to darken their future together.
The most notable difference between Ruby and James emerges from their social statuses, with Ruby’s modest home, scholarship-based education, and part-time job distinguishing her from the latter’s lavish lifestyle. However, when it comes to establishing Ruby’s middle-class background through her profession as a waitress at Manos Cafe, does the show hold any basis in reality?
Manos Cafe: The Real-Life Greek Eatery and Deli
With a basis in the Mona Kasten novel romance ‘Save Me,’ ‘Maxton Hall: The World Between Us’ sports its origins in Kasten’s fictitious world. Consequently, while the show may attempt to infuse its narrative with a sense of realism to highlight the contemporary nature of the story, its elements often remain confined to the realm of fictionality. Nevertheless, the same does not hold true for Ruby’s place of employment. Within the show’s fictional world, The Manos Cafe is actually a real-life establishment that fans can visit.
Manos Cafe remains a means to establish Ruby’s working-class origins within the show. Unlike James, whose days involve chauffeurs and parties, Ruby can be seen working at the Deli after school to earn some cash. Furthermore, rather than spending her earnings on herself, Ruby aims to save money to help out her parents. Thus, Manos Cafe occupies an instrumental role in defining the differences between the two protagonists when it comes to their class divide.
For the same reason, the cafe’s real-life standing helps infuse Ruby’s economic background with authenticity, allowing the narrative to portray the character in a more relatable light. The Manos Cafe is a real-life restaurant that specializes in Greek and Mediterranean cuisines, offering falafels, filet américain, and baklava on their menu, among other delicacies. The establishment stands at Oxford’s Walton St. in England, maintaining the regular hours of 9 to 5— save for Saturday’s 11 to 5 schedule.
The restaurant also holds social media accounts on multiple platforms that fans can follow if they’re interested in learning more about the reality of Ruby’s on-screen workplace. Thus, even though Manos’ Cafe holds little narrative significance within the show, its realistic addition helps the storyline retain realism and authenticity from Ruby’s perspective. Ultimately, the restaurant increases Ruby’s connections to reality.
Read More: Do Ruby and James End Up Together in Maxton Hall?
