S & P smelt for lunch at Market Creations 4/2/13 11:30

bw77 just posted in the smelt thread that Market Creations is promising that their super salt and pepper smelt will be on the menu next Tuesday. Let's make it an event! I really think Market Creations is an unappreciated loop treasure, even when smelt are not on the menu. The man in the kitchen is a fourth-generation Vietnamese chef. So there's the turkey and dressing and all the salad bar fixings you'd expect, but there is also always an assortment of excellent seafood dishes and some predictable but well-executed Chinese standards as well.

Market Creations is in the Prudential Plaza Building. Interestingly enough, Google maps has the location completely wrong. The entrance is on Beaubien, which runs north-south just a quarter of a block east of Michigan, close to Randolph. If you stand in front of the Cultural Center and look kiddy-corner, you can almost see it behind Tavern on the Park.

This is a by-the-pound cafeteria set up, so we won't have reservations, but if we're there promptly at 11:30 maybe we can at least push a few tables together.

Give me an idea of how many might be interested, just so I can see if table-pushing will be required.

Hi Ann,

I will attend. If you know the Chef, I suggest that you might want to confirm with him that they will have Smelt. He casually mentioned next week "for sure," but I wouldn't want to hold him to that passing statement.

Just a thought.

Every time he's said that to me it's been 100% reliable, but if I'm in between now and then I will confirm.

I'm a maybe right now. It all depends on my work situation at the time which is always in flux.

Looks like it's only going to be two or three of us, but it would still be nice to connect. I'll try to grab a four-top by the window. I look like the person on the left in this photo. Because I am.
After Kate's shower by yooperann, on Flickr

Ann,

I am not going to be able to make it today after all. Perhaps I will see you there some other time.

Sorry.

Smelt are confirmed on the menu for today.

I was hoping to join you as this is in my building, but I'm chained to the desk today.

there is more than one location, 5 locations I believe. This particular location is 130 E Randolph. It used to be Delmonico, which is the exact same setup if you're familiar (they still have a few locations I believe too). When they closed/reopened I wasn't convinced it was just renamed and a different franchise or something, the menu didn't change much if any. Maybe Market Creations was a direct copy of Delmonico, it seems, IDK though.

I'm surprised to hear there's any chef in the back with any specifically known credentials... the front of the house sure doesn't exude that.

The guys who operate the grill seem to be incompetent half the time. Order a burger and fries, they'll make the burger and then as they're handing you the fryless burger ask if you want fries, at which point you have to wait 10 minutes for them to fry fries to some level of soggy that shouldn't be described as fries. Happens nearly every time. There used to be a fairly incompetent person who worked the sandwich line too, now the guy they have is pretty sharp. (I once ordered their "cold cut sandwich" and had to argue that it included any meat on it--the menu specifically listed "cold cuts" as the first ingredients, fbut he didn't know what that meant. He disagreed and gave me a sandwich with artichokes and lettuce on it. Manager nowhere to be found, left the sandwich on the counter.)

I'm the type who actually will report ongoing problems when it's a chronic issue, but I've attempted to call to no avail, and I've e-mailed several times and they never even respond. I don't think they care.