In our latest installment of Quick Bites, we visit Saltie's alter ego: Mr. Curry. On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights, Saltie stops slinging sandwiches, and starts serving up delicious Indian food.
THE VIBE
It would feel weird to walk into any restaurant on Metropolitan Avenue during prime time Saturday night and find it completely empty. But to see Williamsburg's beloved Saltie, the place that launched a thousand Ship's Biscuit Instagrams, like that? Downright bizarre.
And yet that's the current state of things at Rebecca Collerton's excellent Mr. Curry "pop-up" going on every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night inside of her sandwich shop. Which, if you're tired of waiting on endless lines any time you want to eat something good, is kind of welcome news—plus, it gives your dinner an insider-y, secretive feel to it. Bring a date who only knows Saltie for its Scuttlebutt, and you are golden. On the other hand, Mr. Curry also needs to start putting some dal-loving-butts in the seats if this thing is going to become permanent.
Photo by Scott Lynch/Gothamist
THE BITES
The Mr. Curry menu is short, South Asian (or "Anglo-Indian"), and everything I ate was delicious, warming, and satisfying. I happily feasted my way through two of the three main dishes, the hearty Curried Meatballs and the lively Yellow Dal—both were packed with flavors that were both subtle (whatever's in those meatballs) and explosive (the pickles, the hot sauce).
The basmati rice is cooked to firm perfection, the Naan charred and chewy, and the side of Tomato Chutney—sweet, acidic, fiery—totally worth the extra three bucks. And then for dessert, you've got all of Saltie's usual baked delights to choose from, though the dense Chocolate Nudge cookie is a personal favorite.
THE VERDICT
Maybe Collerton and her co-chef/owner Caroline Fianza have us all trained too well with their years of "It's a tight ship" daytime-only hours, but for whatever reason, their evening venture is still under the radar. Don't be fooled by the lack of hype and crowds, however: Mr. Curry is killing it.
Mr. Curry at Saltie is open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m., and is located on Metropolitan Avenue in Williamsburg, between Havemeyer and Marcy. (718-387-4777, saltieny.com)
