Mike & Patty's in the South End. Phenomenal.

Sure, going out to The Best Restaurant in the City is great, but every foodie knows that the biggest thrill comes from discovering that small, hole-in-the-wall place that knocks your socks off.

Such was the thrill I got when I finally got to try Mike & Patty's. Ever since seeing it featured on foodie website, Serious Eats, I haven't been able to get it out of my mind. But everytime brunch rolled around, I stuck with my old favorite North Street Grille.

Finally, Dish Mom picked me up one sunny morning, and I suggested we try it. Best. Decision. Ever.

Remember how Dish Gal talked about how much I love sandwiches? While the sandwiches at Hot Tomatoes left a lot to be desired, Mike & Patty's takes sandwiches seriously-- as well one should!!

I tried one that, according to my research, they're sort of famous for: the torta-- shredded pork with avocado, refried beans, jicama slaw, and goat cheese on a luscious, bouncy, soft seeded roll.

This sandwich is NOT messing around...
The other sandwich we tried was the Bacon & Egg sandwich, fancy. The usual bacon & egg is topped with cheddar, avocado, and house mayo-- which has cayenne, cumin, and "secrets" (as the Serious Eats article cites).

Ohhhhh yeah. Toasted multigrain never had it so good.

In addition to these out-of-this-world sandwiches, the place itself just oozes charm. Located on a corner in Bay Village (like a mini-Beacon Hill but without the popped collars and Lilly Pullitzer), the restaurant is easy to pass by-- if you're even in the neighborhood in the first place. Plus, it is ridiculously tiny. And I don't mean Toro-tiny, I mean my-North-End-closet tiny. I couldn't even get in the door to order for a few minutes. Once inside, I was greeted with bacon-scented air and the lovely sound of sizzling food and clanging pans. A few lucky people sat at the lone, high-top table. Two people worked "the line," flipping eggs with the greatest of ease, smearing butter on bread, maneuvering adeptly in the tiny space. A third person took orders, fielded phone calls, and ran outside to deliver brown paper bags filled with joy.

Oh, and to top it all off, the coffee is great, too.

So, the only question is, why are you still reading this? Go git your sandwich on!

Hot Dish of the Week

Once you've had a BLAT (Bacon, lettuce, avocado, and tomato), I predict you won't be able to go back to a regular, old BLT.

Here's Dish Gal's version. It hit the spot on a sunny day, but I suspect will also cheer you up on a rainy, dismal weekend like this one.

Dish Gal's B.L.A.T.

Serves 2

4 slices of maple bacon

1/2 avocado

1/2 lemon, juiced

1 medium tomato, sliced

red leaf lettuce or romaine lettuce

1 tbsp light mayonnaise

4 slices of toast

S&P

1. Mash the avocado and lemon juice in a small bowl. Season with S&P. Optional: add a dash of cayenne pepper.

2. Cook bacon in a non-stick skillet until crispy.

3. Toast the bread. On one side, spread a tiny bit of mayonnaise-- you don't need that much since you'll have the avocado spread. On the other side, spread the avocado mixture.

4. Add the bacon, lettuce, and tomato. Enjoy!

Banh Mi at Pho Viet at Super 88

Soooo after months of craving one, I finally managed to get a banh mi from Pho Viet's in the Super 88 in Allston. For those unfamiliar with this super-trendy, Vietnamese sandwich, here's the Wikipedia definition of a banh mi: The sandwich is made up of thinly sliced pickled carrots and daikon, onions, cucumbers, cilantro, jalapeño peppers and meat or tofu. Popular bánh mì fillings include roasted or grilled pork, Vietnamese ham, paté, mayonnaise, chicken, and head cheese. Most Banh Mi sandwiches contain a Vietnamese mayonnaise-like spread that is a mixture of egg yolk, cooking oil/butter, and sometimes spices.I went with the tofu option. I gotta say though, after all this yearning, I wasn't that obsessed with it! I mean it was definitely yummy, and at only around $3 an amazing deal, but I think I had classic "too high expectations" let-down =(

I think I need to try another one. I dunno, something tasted bizarre, and it wasn't spicy at all, while I had hoped for some kick.

Hrmph. On a day like today (miserable and rainy in Boston), doesn't a bowl of steaming hot pho sound good, though!?

Hot Tomatoes

I've been nervous about writing this post, that somehow I'll get evicted from the North End for writing anything negative about a beloved haunt. But here goes.

I'm not that crazy about Hot Tomatoes. There, I said it. It's owned by the same people as Carmen- quite possibly my favorite North End restaurant- so it pains me that I'm not equally obsessed with this quaint, adorable sandwich shop. Plus, I love sandwiches with all my heart. But this falls short for me.

Why? First of all, the massive sandwiches always make me feel a little sick afterwards. And while it's nice they come with a side of pasta salad, cole slaw, or potato salad, all three of these options are so loaded with mayonnaise I usually can't even take more than two bites. It's like they dolloped out some Hellmann's, threw in a couple noodles, and there you go.

My first sandwich here was the Nantucket ($7.75), a hot ham and brie sandwich with fresh jam. I'll give them props for the conception of this sandwich- brie + jam always is good, and on a sandwich? Genius. But there was WAY too much ham! I wish I had a photo of this massive stack of meat. The dry and salty ham taste totally overpowered the brie and jam. Which made me feel sad.

Other sandwiches I've tried? One day I was craving a cubano like crazy so decided to try the Carmen Cubano ($8.25). Ugh, this was NOT a cubano! Where was the buttery, hot bread, the pickles, the cheesiness? Again, too much meat!

I wasn't a fan of the Jezebel ($11.75) salad either-- Hot Tomatoes' take on a salad nicoise with seared tuna, green beans, black olives, and roasted potatoes. Something tasted off about the tuna (EW, big turn-off) which sort of soured the whole experience for me.

However, I must admit I have had some favorable experiences, too: I did like the Tremont ($7.75)- basically a BLT with sun-dried tomato mayonnaise, specifically because it had the correct proportions and didn't try to wow with its size. I also enjoyed the "My Little Chickadee" salad ($12.75) (first for the name, second for the ingredients): grilled chicken, avocado, bacon, mozzarella, and their signature, creamy balsamic dressing. And the garlic "forget-me-knots" ($2.75) (salty, dough balls) are sooo yummy, especially with their creamy tomato soup ($3.75).

However, these good points aren't enough to woo me to being a super fan like my roommate Sebastian is, especially when this place isn't cheap (might've noticed that already from my including the prices here). I'm not a hater, but not a fan either. North End, I hope we can still be friends!?