Mincha With Tefillin

I heard a psak many years ago from one of the great Talmidei Chchomim and Masmidim of our generation that it is preferable to daven mincha alone while wearing tefillin then it is to daven with a minyan without tefillin! [Obviously the ideal is tefillin with a minyan. Although I used to daven in a shul in Manhattan and would sometimes wear my tefillin for mincha and not everybody viewed this favorably וד"ל].