Traffic Jam & Snug

I have been frequenting Traffic Jam (& Snug) since my Wayne State University days, beginning in 1970... almost 50 years; yesterday, I had an unbelievably awful dining experiencing, to the point I'm writing this review.

I had a dear friend visiting from California who wanted to meet somewhere nice for lunch before heading to the airport. I suggested TJs, for their eclectic menu and ambiance, expecting her (us) to find it delightful. In addition to the regular menu, we were surprised to also receive "Detroit Restaurant Week" menus. We ordered drinks, she a Oddsides Ale beer, and I a glass of Pinot Gris. The waiter asked, "You mean the Pinot Grigio?", "No, the Pinot Gris.", "Oh, you want a glass of the Pinot Grease."... It went south from there.

It took so long to actually receive the drinks that my guest actually got up to find the host (over 15 minutes). The beer came in a can (not unexpected)... my guest had to ask for a glass (really?!).

We decided to order from the "Detroit Week" menu... my guest ordered the crab/artichoke dip appetizer... which you didn't have (and wasn't even on my menu?); so she opted for the basil/chicken egg rolls; I ordered the mushroom soup. After an inordinately long wait, she was served the corned beef egg rolls. Again, my guest had to hunt down the waiter... and cue another wait to get the appetizer correct... then, once served, she wondered if the egg rolls really contained chicken (or basil!). (The soup was good, but a pathetically small portion.)

My guest ordered the pistachio encrusted lamp chops, I the horseradish encrusted prime rib... both were ordered medium rare. Both entrees, however, were terribly overdone... the very center of the prime rib had just the barest hint of blush, and if there was any horseradish involved in the preparation, it wasn't at all noticeable (it was the horseradish that sold me on that choice). (The asparagus was superb, however.). We opted not to return them... but should have. The waiter then proceeded to remove the plate from right in front of my guest, while she had a complete lamb chop up to her lips (though he totally ignored my empty plate, which had a my silverware and napkin on it, and it was pushed to the edge of the table, begging to be removed). And we had to eat both the lamb chops and the beef with butter knives (the waiter was horribly inattentive... it was a Monday afternoon... busy was not an excuse... there was no "busy").

Finally, the deserts... blueberry bread pudding for my guest, and raspberry tiramisu for me... yum (TJs has such great desserts!). No yum... yuck. My tiramisu was a blob of melted "stuff"... hot from the microwave... who in their right mind microwaves tiramisu?! My guest had similar comments about the bread pudding... including a "strange texture". Needless to say, neither was consumed.

The bill for this fiasco was 96 dollars and change. 96 dollars and change!!! (We knew the price off the menu, but thought it would certainly be "worth it"... this was TJs!). I have had disappointing meals in the past, but this, at that price, was awful... simply, utterly, awful. And if this was supposed to highlight the restaurant for Detroit Restaurant week, well, that was a mistake.

As we left, my guest pointedly said to me "Let's never go there again." And we, I, will not.