Once again, the lust for riches and fortune is erasing a part of history. Black Hawk, Central City and Cripple Creek have sold out their very heritage and greatness to the bulldozers of profit voted for by (very aptly put) "suckers." So what have we as Colorado taxpayers gained? Are we all richer, and do we have better lives because gaming came to these areas? Why do we wreck the most beautiful things "outside" for an activity that is enjoyed indoors? Huh?
Cal Anton
Denver
Who Cut the Cheesecake?
Regarding Kyle Wagner's "Uptown Grill," in the June 5 issue:
Judging by the passionate negative opinions of other LoDo restaurant owners as well as Westword food critic Kyle Wagner, the Cheesecake Factory is the new 800-pound gorilla in town. And while Ms. Wagner suggests patrons simply "stop going to the Cheesecake Factory," her role as food writer demands she take the obvious next step: Examine the reasons why this restaurant enjoys its current popularity.
Restaurants rise or fall on the strength of their product and on the style in which they present it. In this case, the Cheesecake Factory must be doing something right. And Ms. Wagner, in the accompanying review of Dixons, inadvertently suggests a possible reason: consistency. Her experiences at Dixons revealed no fewer than nine(!) dishes with obvious flaws, and in some cases, replacement dishes were offered. This is an alternative?
Summer is the season of the blockbuster, and the Cheesecake Factory is no exception. For better or worse, the Cheesecake Factory provides an excellent object lesson in providing a dining experience that satisfies the customer. But when a restaurant enjoys this type of success, rather than merely scorning the clientele, Ms. Wagner ought to sharpen her analysis.
Maybe while she's waiting in line...
Mark McMillan
Denver
I thought Kyle Wagner's review of Dixons was harsh. I have eaten there quite a few times and never had the experiences that she did. Come on, stop picking places apart. That restaurant gives better quality for less money than anywhere else downtown. She bitches about the Cheesecake Factory but does not support the locals.
Your critic seems mean-spirited and bitter. Just my opinion.
Ken Cramer
via the Internet
Send in the Clones
When will the brewpub fad end? (Mouthing Off, May 29.) Isn't it quite overdone when you consider that there are six brewpubs in a three-square-block radius? This constant homogenization of lower downtown is exactly the reason that Denver will never be the world-class city that it so desperately wants to be. In order to be world-class, a city needs to have diversification in its people, culture, cuisine and leisure spots--not a mere cloning effort.
D.J. Tengdin
via the Internet
Ear, Ear!
I have read Lady Chatterley's Lover, but I find Michael Roberts's "The Closing of the American Ear," in the June 5 issue, far more exhilarating reading. It's about time someone with some credibility shed some light on the biases of the average American pop buyer. I especially applaud his appropriately ruthless shredding of Sean "Puffy" Combs and Faith Evans. The way they heartlessly find ways to pump money out of Biggie is as nauseating as Strawberry Quik. I immediately made all of my friends read the article, as it is just the intelligent commentary I would expect from Roberts.
Joshua Alston
via the Internet
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