The Clean Slate sandwich.
I stopped into the new sandwich shop, Saltie, a couple days ago, and had a grand old time.
Saltie is the latest venture from former Marlowe & Sons and Diner chef Caroline Fidanze, and the menu is an eclectic but sparse mix of sandwiches, pastries and ice cream. It replaces the sadly forgettable Cheeks bakery, which I always had high hopes for every time I entered, but always left shrugging. Saltie is a definite step up, both in quality of food and level of ambition. Their sandwiches have a nice maritime theme going, and the two sandwiches I tried – The Captain’s Daughter (sardines, pickled egg, salsa verde) and the Clean Slate (quinoa, hummus, pickled veggies) live up to their seafaring names – The Captain’s daughter is as briny and fishy as you’d expect, but also refreshing and surprisingly light – none of the oiliness or heaviness you might expect. The Clean Slate, as you can see above, is less a sandwich and more like an open-faced, deconstructed falafel – and while it’s not as nautical as The Captain’s Daughter, the pickled veggies add some snap.
I’m not really qualified to review the house-made ice cream, as I’ve only tried the caramel on top of a delicious apple tart, but I’m going to go out on a limb and say it’s all phenomenal. A full plate of amazing-looking dried fruit pastries were gone between the time I ordered my sandwich and my return to the counter to get one, so those will have to wait until my second visit as well. And maybe the third and fourth.
The decor and seating are friendly but obvious hints that you should probably get your food to go – high, tiny stools and a small bar running along two walls. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a fine place to sit and eat, and the staff is friendly, but no tables or anything. That’s not nearly enough to keep me from going there again and again, however.
All in all, a great place. I have no doubt the menu will change often and with delicious results. I can’t wait to go back.
We like to eat. 