The Scuttlebutt from Saltie

I never fell hard for a vegetarian sandwich until I met the Scuttlebutt from Saltie. Two of my most hated ingredients–black olives and capers–lurk within this sandwich and I don’t even care because it’s that good. In fact, I wouldn’t eat my scuttlebutt without black olives and capers. Pile them on!

The term scuttlebutt, so Google tells me, means a cask of water on a sailing ship, or a piece of juicy gossip. Gossip that crusty pirates were no doubt trading as they stood around their nautical water cooler. That is, when they were not ransacking vegetable farms and making absurdly ingenious sandwiches. No matter how my mind twists, the connection between the word and sandwich eludes me, but the goodness, thank god, is real.

The scuttlebutt ($10) has two pieces of fluffy housemade focaccia, lavished with olive oil and salt. In between is a jumble of black olives, capers, hard boiled egg, parsley, herbs, beets, pickled onions, radishes, squash, feta cheese, and mystery greens all doused in a slightly smokey aioli. If that sounds like a ballsy amount of flavor and sodium, it is. But it works, and items that might overpower other foods–I’m looking at you, black olives!–achieve a balance that will make your mouth very happy. Just so you’re prepared, some of the vegetable ingredients vary based on seasonal availability. You can take that to mean it’s super fresh and not get all sad face about it.

If you require something simpler, get the Ship’s Biscuit ($9). It has the same wonderful bread, sandwiching a soft scrambled egg and ricotta cheese. A few bites in and I wondered why it never occurred to mingle the two–obviously, they’re perfect together.

Saltie’s business appears to be mostly takeout, but there are a few stools at the counter and usually spots available if you’re eating in. Go early though–they close at 6pm (I am frequently bummed about this). And whatever you do, never ask the ladies behind the counter for a plastic bag, even if you’re carrying multiple sandwiches in a thunderstorm. They will look at you with hippie disdain and send you on your way with a paper bag filled with wonderful sandwiches.

Saltie
378 Metropolitan Ave. at Havemeyer St., Williamsburg