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Letters

Don’t Mess with Lobstah

Your lobster salad recipe is a classic? [“The Everything Guide to Seafood,” June]. Excuse me. I have been in the restaurant business for forty years and am a native Rhode Islander. The only thing classic about your recipe is that it has a lobster. (Hopefully, a Rhode Island lobster!)
A classic lobster salad has chives? Lemon juice, maybe. Lemon zest, maybe. But honey? Rhode Island lobsters don’t need honey! Caper vinegar? Vinegar is only good on our French fries! But the biggest abomination of all: the roll. Who would ever put a lobster salad on anything but a grilled hot dog roll?? Arugula? Please!
What are Karen’s credentials and Rhode Island background to think she can mess with a local tradition?
David Yates
Newport

Don’t Mess with Chowdah, Either

You put out a pretty good magazine, but what’s with the glaring omission in the shellfish issue? You have a recipe for New England clam chowder, but not the vastly superior Rhode Island variety, a.k.a “cleah chowdah.” Also, your readers may want to add a little onion powder, ground black or white pepper, and freshly chopped chive to liven up that somewhat bland clam cake recipe. Otherwise, it was a fine issue. Keep up the good work!
John Teehan
Providence

Ichiban Fan

I very much enjoyed the article you had on Korean food [Dining Out, June]. I must say, though, you overlooked my favorite Korean restaurant in the state: Ichiban’s in Cranston. The food is fantastic and the owners treat you like family. It’s for any fan of Korean food.
Erik Hamel
Cumberland

Beach Clean-Up

I am writing on behalf of the Misquamicut Business Association with objections to the derogatory phrase, “honky-tonk,” your magazine used to describe Misquamicut Beach [Rhode Trips supplement, June]. The term is not only damaging but inaccurate. 
It is true that there was an era in which Misquamicut had a rowdy nightlife image. Today in 2009, Misquamicut is a family beach that offers myriad entertainment: fireworks, Monday night concerts, “Movies on the Beach” for children, the famed “Blues on the Beach” series, Classic Car Cruise Nights and more. The nightclubs that once caused some trouble were purchased by the town in 2001 and torn down. They are now a family beach [“Wuskenau” or “New Town Beach”]. We have more than 5,000 parking spaces, plus top-notch amusements, restaurants, hotels, shops and B&Bs.
I invite you all to come and take a look for yourselves before presenting us in a negative manner. You will find we are a great destination for families on vacation.
Caswell Cooke
Misquamicut Business Association
Town Councilor, Westerly