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Magic Time

Nine75 plays the numbers game.

A A A Comments By Jason Sheehan Thursday, Aug 25 2005

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Mark Manger

Kitchen magician: Troy Guard works wonders at Nine75.

Location Info

Map

Nine 75

975 Lincoln St. Ste. k
Denver, CO 80203

Category: Restaurant > American

Region: Central Denver

13 user reviews	Write A Review
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Details

975 Lincoln Street, 303-975- 0975. Hours: 5-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 5-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday

Ceviche shooters: $2 each
Oysters: $2 each
Empanada: $8
Won ton tacos: $9
Ribs: $10
Meatloaf: $15
Sliders: $14
Fries: $5
Veggies: $5
Lobster tacos: $12
Seafood ravioli: $9
Roasted chicken: $16

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Still, every moment I'm in the dining room or the bar of Nine75, I get the feeling that I'm being manipulated, that I'm being marketed to, not catered to. The restaurant's obvious approach could simply stem from the fact that Nine75 is so young -- at just over three months, the youngest I've ever reviewed -- but the approach is also intentional. There's a plan, a motive behind everything, from the up-sell on the free "fusion water" to the music, the costumes, the seating arrangements and the careful mix of tastes and memories that flavor the menu. Even the phone number -- 975-0975 -- is a manipulation. And the name. They're deliberately designed so that no one can forget where they're going, how to get there, or where they are. But then Guard works his magic in the kitchen, and I find myself forgetting all about the gimmicks as the food piles up, pulling my focus back to the beautiful slip of yellowtail or mound of flawless greens in front of me.

This is a dining room with a hole at its heart -- a few covers to the good side of tragic, a few covers shy of real success. It's not going to take much to tip the scales one way or the other, and everyone here knows that. So they're trying hard tonight, and Nine75 will never be better than it is right now, never show more genius than it does at this moment.

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