Tracklements Smokery

Been meaning to come here literally for years, but somehow seemed to forget that when actually in the neighborhood. Was walking down Kingsley yesterday when I saw the name stenciled on the brick storefront and literally stopped in my tracks. Truly a happy accident.
There was one other customer in the shop when I entered, which made things a little tight. It’s a tiny space, though I don’t think people come here to linger. Not that you couldn’t. After the woman behind the counter greeted me warmly, I just stood for a moment pondering the list of offerings. Smoked salmon, duck, pork, cheeses… where to start on this was a dilemma.
I told the woman waiting on me that it was my first time here, and she gave me a cheerful rundown of the operation and what they make. Salmon is always in the forefront, hot smoked cold smoked, plain and flavored. A rotation of pork items complements the fish – pulled pork was on offer yesterday, but I could have gotten shanks a week ago. Not much pork would be available through the holidays, I was told, but I could get smoked sable and scallops then if I ordered ahead. The old-​world style duck pastrami looked tempting, but I decided to start with the basics and took a ½ lb. of plain cold smoked salmon. Since it was my first time they gave me a discount.
And the product? Wow. I think I look at smoked salmon in a new light. Soft, slightly gelid but with body, light smoke flavor, just a trace of oiliness. The comparison another Unilocaler made to high-​grade sushi tuna is right on.
Tracklements’ stuff isn’t cheap, so it will probably be a source of special occasion treats rather than a stop on my usual shopping rounds. But, the number of «special occasions» I observe just might start growing.

Extremely short hours (three short days per week) — but easily the best smoked fish in Ann Arbor. Definitely worth planning your shopping trip around their open days.
Outstanding salmon (the «original» is my favorite), solid trout, and some more unusual by-​the-​week offerings.
On top of the savory, subtly-​flavored fish, the service is excellent and down-​to-​earth — none of the Zingermann’s pretension. Just a small counter with high-​quality food.
Check the hours, then definitely stop by.

This is the absolute best smoked salmon I’ve had. The staff is also very friendly. If Kerrytown were closer to me, I would go every week. The salmon comes in thick solid pieces, rather than thin slices. I like to cut mine thick like sashimi.

Oh My! Cold Smoked Thai salmon is my addiction for the moment. It’s Wednesday, Market day. Kerrytown is buzzing. Something reminded me of Durnham’s Tacklements and thankfully they were open. (I did check the website to make sure before trekking over there.) Tiny store front. No room for more then three customers, but super friendly lady was happy to answer any questions and explain flavor and offer samples.
She picked me out a recommended belly section, half pound piece, which was about $ 14-​$ 15. I was in an out in under 5 mins.
They have great selections of smoked meats too, not just fish. I will have to try the Mackeral before it’s off the menu.
With Salmon in bag, I popped over to Sparrow for avocado, pear, Paesano roll, and herb valfrais — voila! Excellent lunch for two days.
The salmon was incredibly tender and the perfect amount of flavor. Just a hint and not too detract from the salmon itself. I have never had smoked salmon this good. I can’t wait to have it on my next cheeseboard.

Tracklements — how I miss you!!! Nothing and I mean nothing comes close to your smoked salmon and especially your smoked trout!!! Even in NYC — all the trout I try is so subpar that I have stopped trying — All I can do is wait for my trips home for a chance to taste perfection. You are the smoked fish master!

I’m surprised. It really is as good as they say. Many things don’t live up to the hype, but Tracklements succeeds wildly. I quickly bought up several varieties and walked over to Zingermans and bought some bagels and cream cheese. When they discovered my plans they happily sliced up my purchase to more easily place on a bagel. Great people. Fantastic store. Out of this world fish. How do more people not know of this place?

Few things rock my world more than a bagel with lox so I’ve always been on the look out to stop into Tracklements. Unfortunately they do have limited hours and I’ve never been there when they’re open but the other day I managed to catch them on a Saturday afternoon so I popped in. Smokey goodness!
They have a number of different smoked salmon varieties (from hot to cold smoked with a few different rubs) plus a few other smoked fishes and also rotating specials like pulled pork and I believe a smoked duck breast while I was there. Not on their website because those rotate. I decided to go with their most traditional, the Highland smoked salmon. It’s dry rubbed with salt with a bit of brown sugar and smoked. I bought half a pound for $ 14. That may sound like a lot but if you think about the sliced salmon you buy at the grocery store it’s about 4oz for around $ 7 too so that’s fairly on point pricewise for a MUCH better and fresher product.
Then I went to Zingerman’s and stocked up on bagels and cream cheese (and also discovered they sell their salmon there too! Good to know for future when I need a fix and they’re closed) for breakfast the next morning.
The salmon was smooth with a mellow, not fishy flavor. It was just the right amount of oily. I really really loved it. My fella had never done the bagels and salmon thing and he also ended up a huge fan. We sliced up some red onion and cucumbers to also stack on there and it was heaven.
The shop owners were very nice and answered all my questions (of which there were many since it was my first time). The shop is small but comfortable and clean. Located on the outside of Kerrytown which means it’s surrounded by a lot of other delicious food options but be sure not to miss this one if you catch them open!

This place is absolutely yummy! My favorite dish is the smoke salmon ceviche! It is so divine and I’ve never tasted anything so fresh and savory. I doubt you can find this dish anywhere else!

You’re not likely to stumble across this gem hidden on the back side of Kerrytown (i.e the north side of the building which doesn’t have any other storefronts). T.R. has successfully created a business doing what he’s passionate about; smoking fish and creating a limited selection of other wonderful food, mostly also smoked.
The cold smoked salmon is among the best I’ve ever had (and I grew up with Zabar’s as the default but also going to Russ & Daughters on NYC’s Lower East Side). They occasionally make it with pastrami spices (mainly black pepper and coriander) which is an excellent combo.
Other great dishes I’ve had there are braised pork cheeks, smoked pork chops, and smoked duck breast. I did consider giving them 4 stars since it would be nice to have more wild-​caught salmon being used and more locally-​grown, organically-​raised meat but I don’t know anyone else who does it better so T.R. gets my top ranking. He uses good ingredients and takes care of his products so it’s not cheap but the price is what’s to be expected given the quality of the product.
The best *cheap* smoked salmon I know of is at Trader Joe’s and that’s fine if it will be used in a way that doesn’t stand out. But when you want great, not good, go to Tracklements and you won’t be disappointed.

Want to make for happy holidays (or anytime)? Swing by here and treat friends and relations to top notched smoked fish (and other) products. What a treat!
The salmon, both hot and (happy sigh) cold smoked are
. Textures are perfect. Flavors spot on. The varieties are vast: from the buttery highland to the firm classic pecan wood smoked, the tantilizing Thai smoke, the sea salt cured, the smokilicious «kippered» hot varietal, the salty sweet (peppered optional) Japanese inspired and my personal fave, the dilled gravlax. You really cannot go too wrong, its all in what you want to use it for. Ask them if you have any questions, they are super helpful and knowledgable about their products.
As an aside: I recommend the gravlax for a stellar bagel combo (sesame please) with a bit of chopped hard boiled egg, capers (a must!), red onion, tomato and schmear of full fat cream cheese. Heaven on a freaking plate.
Don’t limit yourself though, dive into the trout or bluefish and you also will be quite pleased indeed. These two and other varietals are available periodically. I would call ahead to see if you have your heart set on anything other than salmon.
For the holidays they are offering sable, pâté de campagne, shrimp and smoked salmon terrine, rainbow trout fillets, arista (Tuscan herb-​cured pork loin), smoked duck breast, smoked lamb sirloin medallions, salmon and beef jerky and hot-​smoked salmon salad. Needless to say I have had to stock up!
Try it and you will be hooked!

Durham’s gets my first 5 star rating on Unilocal!Hands down the best smoked salmon I have ever had. Over the years I have tried most of the hot and cold smoked salmon flavors they offer… and every single one has been amazing. One of their best is the Thai cold smoked salmon. I have also on occasion had various other kinds of fish and once had a wonderful smoked beef brisket. Service in the store is friendly and you can sample just about anything before buying. Be aware that prices here tend to be high… but rest assured that everything you buy will be top notch.

I discovered Durham’s on my way to Zingerman’s and was lured in by the irresistible and complex aromas of the smoky wood blends and spices. From the humble storefront on East Kingsley Street in Kerrytown, one may not guess that the New York Times had praised Durham’s as offering one of the country’s best smoked salmon back in 2001. The smoked salmon here is produced by hand in small batches, cured, smoked and packed in center cut pieces without additives. We tried the original Highland Smoked Salmon (in pecan wood style), the Double-​Smoked (firmer, finer texture and a smokier finish), and the Scandinavian style Gravlax (marinated with allspice, white pepper, juniper berries and fresh dill). The flavors were fresh and balanced with a pleasing silky texture. The Thai smoke salmon (ginger, coriander, lemon grass and pepper), which was unfortunately not available during my visit, is one of their mail order best sellers. The staff is very friendly and generous with samples. For the out of town travelers, they offer ice packs for transporting the salmon — which fortunately passed airport security screenings in my carry-​on luggage!

great small business — the people that work there are very knowledgeable about the fish, where the came from and the smoking process. bought the hot smoked — which is flakier, but still has the great smoky flavor. the cold smoked highland was on sale so i took some home with me to chicago. and have been eating delicious lox and cream cheese bagels every morning since. come and get your omega-​3s on!

The best smoked salmon I’ve ever had. Stumbled in to this tiny shop and was able to sample some of their both hot and cold smoked salmon (let them explain to you the difference). They sold me on the first bite! Very friendly and knowledgeable service. They also make sandwiches for $ 7. Very reasonable prices (the day I went they had cheaper prices than the smoked salmon at Zingerman’s) and they are a specialist. I hope to come back here again or do mail-​order from them!

What’s not to like about a smokery? The tiny little shop, which seems to be always filled with friends, puts out some of the best fish I’ve ever had and tonight we will be trying their marinated duck legs.
I appreciate that the owner is doing his own thing and nothing else. The hours may be a bit strange, but it’s worth it to make it down there.
I recommend it to anyone who likes meat, fish or the sweet smell of a smokery.

This is one of the best-​kept secrets in Kerrytown. It’s very expensive for me, so I save buys for special occasions. The hours are very irregular, so call ahead or be prepared to come back when they’re open. The door’s easy to miss — just look for the fish hanging outside the door. The man who runs the place is very willing to talk to you about the fish he sells. I had no idea that smoking fish was such an art until I ate the fish from here. Now, I hadn’t had a lot of smoked fish prior to this, but in my limited experience, this is worth a special trip.

This place has amazing smoked fish. I picked up a pound of the Highland smoked salmon as a gift for the holidays. My parents really loved it, and thankfully, were willing to share with me (I did buy it, after all!) It honestly was the best smoked salmon I ever had. They carry quite a few different varieties of smoked fish.
Really limited hours, but this place is definitely worth seeking out in Kerrytown. A bit pricey, but nothing too crazy.

Really nice smoked fish. There’s something to be said for really specializing. It must be a tourist attraction because the last time I was there a really obnoxious woman was pontificating on and on in French to a foreign guest about her views on Ann Arbor and on this place in particular. I bet she didn’t know I understood and reviled her.