Microwaved for your consumption

Here's the thing, it's usually an enjoyable dining experience. A fine Midtown location, hip staff, and a varied menu. I thought Traffic Jam & Snug's meatloaf might be a good choice. Bad idea--especially if I was looking for a fresh meal. And the wait staff was completely certain the mushrooms would not be in the spinach lasagna.

I'll let my message to Traffic Jam & Snug explain...and then her response...and then my response...

from: Matt Church
to: tjsnug@traffic-jam.com
date: Jun 9, 2007 9:05 AM
subject: Surprise at Traffic Jam

Good morning,

Last night my fiance and I dined at Traffic Jam. We're both Wayne State graduates, frequent the Midtown area, and are usually pleased with our Traffic Jam experiences. I'm sorry to say that last night was a huge exception to our positive Traffic Jam meals.

Before we placed our order my fiance made in inquiry about the vegetarian spinach lasagna. She greatly dislikes mushrooms and asked the waiter specifically if mushrooms were in the lasagna. He informed us that he too did not like mushrooms and they were most certainly not in the lasagna. Based on his response she ordered this dish. Once she started eating her meal she was completely dismayed to find large chunks of mushrooms in the lasagna! She pushed them to the side of her plate and showed them to the waiter. His response, "Hm, I don't know what those are--they're not mushrooms though." They were clearly mushrooms! When he returned with the check he told us that someone in the kitchen said it was burnt pasta. It is not at all possible that what was on her plate was burnt pasta. It was mushrooms--and it's a good thing that she wasn't allergic to them. We did not at all appreciate feeling that the waiter was trying to cover his mistakes with a clear fib!

I ordered the meatloaf. I was looking forward to sweet potato fries and a delightful meal. What was served to me looked like a tv dinner or a microwave meal on a nice plate. The peas were shriveled--definitely microwaved. The sweet potato fries were rubbery and dull--also clearly microwaved. And the meatloaf--it was okay but microwaved as well. My entire $14 dish had been microwaved! What a surprise from a decent restaurant! I asked the waiter to swap out the peas and sweet potato fries for soup. He suggested that sweet potato fries sometimes look like that and have that texture. The only fries that I've seen with that texture and appearance are microwaved fries! I do appreciate him providing me with soup in place of the microwaved sides, but to even have any such sides be served to customers is unbelievable.

My fiance and I had been considering having our wedding rehearsal dinner at Traffic Jam. After last night's experience we can cross that option off the list without a doubt. We would not at all want Traffic Jam to reflect the dining options of Detroit to our guests. We had been excited about holding the event at your restaurant--considering you've been around for so many years, you're in the heart of Midtown, and you have people from the area working there--but last night's meal experience told us without a doubt that we will take our business elsewhere.

Thanks for your time. I hope that the microwaved plate policy doesn't continue to stand. Provide your customers with the meals they pay for and expect from Traffic Jam!

Matt

I was pleased to see a response in my inbox. The contents of the message didn't really keep me pleased.

from: tjsnug@traffic-jam.com
to: Matt Church
date: Jun 12, 2007 3:59 PM
subject: Re: Surprise at Traffic Jam

Dear Matt,
I'm sorry! Yes, late last week we did experiment with the lasagne. It has been a mainstay here for so long, and we wanted to perk it up a bit. We did a trial run with portebello mushrooms, sampled it on the staff, earned positive feed back, and ran with it. My big mistake was not ASSURING that each and every of our 35 wait staff knew about the change. A poor job, now recognized.
As for the meatloaf, that item, along with its peas, has always been microwaved. A majority of our business comes from people in a hurry-short lunch break, quick dinner before the symphony, etc. and we could not meet that demand by baking-to- order. We try to overcome that fact by adding leeks, apples, currants, curry and other flavorful ingredients. The sweet potato fries are deep fried.
Again, I'm sorry that you were unhappy with your meal.

Sincerely,

[name not published]

Right. And I'm supposed to feel better about our meal? I think not.

from: Matt Church
to: tjsnug@traffic-jam.com
date: Jun 13, 2007 4:36 PM
subject: Re: Surprise at Traffic Jam

Hi [name not published],

Thank you for your response--albeit a faint apology. You don't seem especially concerned about making sure my business returns to your establishment.

While I completely understand that you can't freshly prepare each slice of meatloaf, microwaving the entire plate seems pretty awful in terms of food taste and presentation. Peas don't microwave well. And while the sweet potato fries were deep fried initially, those on my plate were without a doubt microwaved prior to being served. How about putting a microwave icon next to items that are microwaved so customers know what they're ordering--and the quality they're paying for? It's nice that you cater to those in a hurry, but why offer fast food quality meals at decent dining prices? Perhaps you could come up with a short menu for those in a hurry and save the rest of the menu for those who actually want to come in and enjoy a meal. I'm offended that you so openly offer microwaved meals at $14 per plate. Feels like you all are serving up left-overs to paying customers. Certainly not in line with all the fresh bakery items and the "best, freshest ingredients" you tout on your website.

Thanks for your response though--at least I now know where to go for a quick microwaved meal at a hefty price.

Matt

That's the end of the story for now. Super disappointing considering I've enjoyed many meals there. The Midtown area needs solid restaurants--I hope the lasagna and meatloaf experience was a fluke and not an indication of a downward spiral for such an institution.