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Phantom Gourmet: Breakfast At Mike & Patty's In Boston

BOSTON - Located on the corner of Church and Fayette Streets in Boston's Bay Village, Mike and Patty's is a tiny little shop serving breakfast sandwiches that seem to have a cult-like following.

Current owners Michael Gurevich and Ania Zaroda are the husband and wife team you will always find fixing up something tasty. They bought the place back in 2012 and decided to keep the name, something Ania has to explain almost on a daily basis.

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Set in a quiet neighborhood between townhouses, Mike and Patty's can be hard to find, not only because it's tucked away, but the space itself is miniscule – just 175 square feet, the size of a walk-in closet.

"When we're really slamming and we're doing 350 to 400 sandwiches, we're like a well-oiled machine," Mike said. "These guys hold it down and make it work with very limited space. It's pretty amazing."

What comes out of this small space tastes amazing. There is The Classic - your standard breakfast sandwich served with American cheese, a fried egg and your choice of meat; or the amped up North-South Classic, which adds Canadian Bacon from the north, along with southern style collard greens. However, if you want the house favorite, order The Fancy.

Mike & Patty's, Phantom Gourmet
The Fancy at Mike & Patty's (Image: Phantom Gourmet)

"The Fancy is ultimately a very fancy sandwich," Ania said. "It is Iggy's multigrain bread, comes with cheddar, house mayo, red onions, avocado, two eggs, bacon. Everybody loves all those flavors put together."

For an upgrade on The Fancy, order The Robert.

"The Robert is our lunch version of the Fancy," Ania continued. "If you just happen to be in the mood for lunch and don't have a hankering for breakfast anymore, you can take out the eggs and we replace it with turkey. We also add some tomato jam."

There are healthy takes on grilled cheese, like a vegan version topped with braised greens, maple squash and caramelized onions. If you want a sandwich you will become immediately addicted to, there is nothing better than The Breakfast Grilled Crack.

Mike & Patty's, Phantom Gourmet
Breakfast Grilled Crack at Mike & Patty's (Image: Phantom Gourmet)

"The Breakfast Grilled Crack is so good, it should be illegal," Mike said.

"You have two eggs, four pieces of bacon, Swiss, Gruyere, American, cheddar, all melted together on Iggy's sourdough. Once you pull it apart, it's just like cheesy goodness," Ania described.

If you ask the owners to pick their favorites from the menu, Ania will tell you to get the Goldmine.

Mike & Patty's, Phantom Gourmet
The Goldmine at Mike & Patty's (Image: Phantom Gourmet)

"It is brioche, so it is nice, soft bread; then some honey whipped ricotta with a little bit of lemon zest in there; and crispy pancetta; and a nice kind of gelled egg with some ooey-gooey-ness happening. So when it's all cut, you have all the yolks coming out, dripping onto the ricotta. Then you bite into it and it's just like soft, like a cloud, like you're just jumping into heaven, feeling like Tom Brady just won the Super Bowl."

If you ask Mike, he will send your palate south of the border with the Breakfast Torta, featuring a big sesame roll overloaded with fried egg, cheddar cheese, pickled jalapenos, potatoes, black beans, salsa and avocado.

Mike & Patty's, Phantom Gourmet
Breakfast Torta at Mike & Patty's (Image: Phantom Gourmet)

"You have the chewiness of the bread with the runny egg yolk, with the beans and the salsa and the potatoes. It kind of gives you that Mexican kick a little bit with the eggs. It's a really big, really filling sandwich."

While the space is small, everything about Mike and Patty's is hugely charming.

"I think it's a very unique experience. I don't think there's a lot of places that will give you the same kind of feeling," Mike said. "The food is obviously to die for, but it's really the whole experience. Coming in here, ordering, kind of seeing the small space, seeing your food get made, and then eating it and walking around the neighborhood."

You can find Mike and Patty's at 12 Church Street in Boston, and online at mikeandpattys.com.

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

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