I say “breakfast sandwich,” and what comes to mind? Is it some homogenized, disc-shaped egg patty and rubber sausage McDreadful sandwich? Perhaps, it’s that “croissan’wich” camping out under the irradiation of a heat lamp for a few hours. It’s probably safe to say the noble sandwich has not quite reached the breakfast celebrity status attained by the likes of cereal, pancakes, and oatmeal. But there’s really no reason the sandwich should be shunned in the morning hours. They’re convenient, may be eaten on the go, and they’ll easily tide you over until the lunch hour. Occasionally, you’ll find a particularly dignified version of the breakfast sandwich, something worth taking your time to enjoy, something to savor—a foolproof way to ensure this day will be successful. Boulevard Bread carries such an example, a breakfast sandwich worth waking up for.

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I can’t think of many savory dishes in existence not made better by the addition of a fried egg…it’s one of nature’s small, golden treasures that never ceases to bring life to anything it touches. You pair a fried egg with crispy pancetta—the salt-cured, Italian equivalent of bacon—and you’ve got a blissful combination that’s prepared to melt the taste buds of any unsuspecting victim. Boulevard’s breakfast sandwich, the lone sandwich offering on the morning menu, incorporates both fried egg and crisp pancetta. The egg is perfectly done—soft, light egg white with a golden yolk, just a touch runny, but not so much so as to leave a goopy mess running between each of your fingers. The rich, fatty yolk is accentuated by the thinly sliced, crisp pork chip that gives a gentle crunch with each bite. To say pancetta is simply a fancy man’s bacon would—at least in my opinion—be a disservice to this fine slab of pork. It’s life spent in a briny, salty cure imparts a flavor unique to the Italian specialty, enhancing the inherent pork flavor, making it a delightful bit of pig. The sandwich is completed with the addition of peppery field greens, ripe tomato, and creamy aioli, all stuffed between dark, earthy toasted 8-grain bread. It’s no secret that Boulevard knows a bit about bread, indeed a large number of respectable sandwiches and burgers around town rely on their expert grasp of bread making. This sandwich is no exception. The slightly charred bread adds both crunchy and nutty elements to the sandwich, the ideal companion to the flavorsome entrails. It’s not an excessively large sandwich, it’s not going to leave you clutching your abdomen afterwards wondering how you finished the whole thing. It’s light but incredibly flavorful, without a towering number of ingredients, but well balanced and thought-out.

You won’t be able to snag a Boulevard breakfast sandwich via drive-thru window; you’ll have to physically enter the shop and order at the counter—a small price to pay for a truly exceptional breakfast. So drive right on past those value menu bacon and egg biscuits and sample a sandwich guaranteed to awaken your mouth even if your brain is still floating around in the early morning fog.

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