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Phantom Gourmet: Bushel 'N Peck In Grafton

GRAFTON - If you're craving a sandwich stuffed with freshly sliced meat, chances are you'll head down to your local supermarket, grab a number and order by the pound. But there's a better way to grab a killer sandwich, and it's known as Bushel 'n Peck in Grafton.

Like the grocery store, they also sell their meat by the pound, except that pound comes packed into a single sub roll.

"Philosophy for Bushel n Peck sandwiches? Very simple - big. They're always big. We always pack them with meat, pack them with fresh veggies. Never skimpy here," said chef Michael Ashley. "There's always a rule: make sure it always looks full. If you've got to put a little extra, that's what you have to do."

If the first rule of this deli is to make a superior sandwich, the second, according to Chef Ashley and owner Michael Bartosiewicz, is serve it to you fast.

"We need to get the people in; we've got to get them out. If people can't get in and out quick for lunch, that's one of the things they're going to get disappointed about," said Bartosiewicz.

Bushel N Peck, Phantom Gourmet
Pounder Pastrami at Bushel 'N Peck (Image: Phantom Gourmet)

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Though the food comes quickly, deciding exactly what to order can take some time. Even the most loyal customers have yet to eat their way through Bushel 'n Peck's extensive menu. You can trust the staff finds as much joy making these sandwiches as you do devouring them.

"When I make the sandwich, we break them in half and we look at them and it's like, 'Ahhhhh, it's so cool.' When you open up that sandwich, it looks really nice," said Bartosiewicz.

Some of these cool creations include the classic Chicken Parm drenched in marinara sauce; the Jenerator piled high with baked ham, turkey, bacon, Swiss cheese, American cheese, fresh veggies and tangy honey mustard; the triple-decker Tatnuck Teaser loaded up with pastrami, corned beef and American cheese' and the spicy Sicilian Sizzler bursting with meatballs and melted provolone cheese, and studded with pepperoni and hot peppers.

This deli isn't just a lunch and dinner spot. They offer sandwiches to be eaten at any hour, like the breakfast sandwich stuffed with thick sausage, melted cheese and two fresh eggs.

Bushel N Peck, Phantom Gourmet
Breakfast Sandwich at Bushel 'N Peck (Image: Phantom Gourmet)

"I prefer the egg yolk a little runny myself so you get that nice creaminess. Nice grilled bread. Nice big sandwich to start your morning off," said Chef Michael Ashley.

Maybe you're looking for a sandwich that will keep you full all day, and possibly all week. If that's the case, try the B&P Pounder Pastrami made with a full pound of thinly sliced pastrami, Swiss cheese and mustard; or The Buster crammed with so many kinds of meats, cheeses and veggies, it can only be served on a full loaf of Italian bread.

Bushel N Peck, Phantom Gourmet
The Buster at Bushel 'N Peck (Image: Phantom Gourmet)

"The Buster is our form of Man versus Food challenge. It is all of our deli meats. We have corned beef, roast beef, turkey, ham, then we pile it with all of our cheese. Swiss, provolone, American cheese. It is a show stopper," Ashley said.

You can also get their sandwiches as a massive 30-inch sub, perfect for parties; or perhaps you don't get a sandwich at all. Maybe you order straight from one of Bushel 'n Peck's ever-changing deli cases.

"I like to refer to the deli cases as our stage, as if we're performers. So that's almost our performance. We put it out there. We've been around a long time for sandwiches, but it brings something different to the table," explained Chef Ashley.

Here, you can find a fresh lobster salad served inside a lettuce cup; award-winning lobster corn chowder made with creamy, homemade stock; and fried mac n cheese so good, you can't stop craving it.

Bushel N Peck, Phantom Gourmet
Fried Mac n Cheese at Bushel 'N Peck (Image: Phantom Gourmet)

"People don't believe it: fried mac n cheese. So you've got the nice crunch of the panko crumb on the outside. You cut into that, you can even hear the crunch of it. Then you've got that nice, creamy mac n cheese on in the inside," Ashley described. "It's a meal in and of itself, that's for sure."

There's plenty to fill up on at Bushel 'n Peck, and it's all part of this deli's not-so-secret ingredient for success - keeping the customer full, happy and already planning their next visit.

"I truly love pleasing people, and when you see people and they're smiling and they're happy and they come up to you after, and they say, 'You know what? That was great,' that's all I could ask for," Bartosiewicz said.

You can find Bushel 'N Peck at 8 Worcester Street in Grafton, and online at bushelnpeckdeli.com.

Watch Phantom Gourmet on Saturdays and Sundays at 10:30 and 11 a.m. on myTV38.

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