The Yankee

The Yankee at DB Brasserie

dbbrasserie.com

A+

Wow. This is probably the least surprising A+ rating ever on allsandwich, unless you're unaware that super chef Daniel Boulud kinda invented the super fancy upscale burger. His original DB Burger was a huge beef patty with foie gras and truffles. While that legendary sandwich is not (yet) on the menu at the new DB Brasserie in Las Vegas, there are three burger options awaiting you. We started with the most simple of the three, the Yankee, a 7-ounce patty with iceberg lettuce, tomato and sweet Vidalia onion on a sesame seed bun. In a word, it's perfect. Sure, we added aged white cheddar, because why not? But the thing is just pristine. The bun is soft yet sturdy, with the sesame seeds offering only a slight trace of sweetness. That bottom bun is spongy enough to absorb the meat juice that'll flow when you bite into this masterpiece, and it's gonna happen; This is one of the juiciest burgers we've ever chomped. The meat is silky smooth, fatty enough and yet supremely beefy, and thick enough that there's no possible distraction. Too many fancy burgers lose focus on the meat by piling on wild and extreme toppings. The Yankee is everything a burger is supposed to be and nothing more, just great stuff executed with care and precision. Fries, pickle, maybe a little mustard or ketchup if you like, but just know you're having the ideal American meal (from a French chef, of course). Is this the best burger in Las Vegas? Until we try DB's Frenchie and Piggie burgers, we think so.

Sandwich Sundays Presents: Ham Salami Croissant

Ham Salami Croissant

homemade

B

What are the chances your average ordinary supermarket croissants are going to be flaky, buttery and delicious? Not good, right? These were, somehow, so we slathered them with mustard and stacked smoked honey ham, dry salami, provolone cheese, iceberg lettuce leaves and sliced roma tomatoes between the crispy goodness and straight went to town. Sometimes noisy sandwiches are fun.

Smokehouse Brisket Sandwich

Smokehouse Brisket Sandwich at Arby's

arbys.com

F

Sometimes a limited time is not short enough. In attempting to create an upgraded barbecue sandwich—let's not forget these bastards already have already have the Arby-Q—using "real smoke from real fire," Arby's has forgotten, or perhaps never really understood, what makes a barbecue sandwich so fantastic. You can slather sweet sauce or smoky flavoring on anything. We crave barbecue on a bun because it's a bountiful stack of juicy, savory meat. The Arby's smokehouse brisket sandwich comes with a tiny portion of beef. It sure smells smoky, but somehow doesn't taste like much of anything. There's gouda cheese, mayo, barbecue sauce and fried onions added, all feeble attempts to make this disaster taste good. Wait, did I just type that there's mayo? On a barbecue brisket sandwich? Clowns.

Smokehouse Turkey Panini

Smokehouse Turkey Panini at Panera Bread

panerabread.com

C+

I love a nice, crispy sandwich filled with fresh vegetables, and yet every time I find myself at Panera, I gravitate toward the least healthy items on the menu—melty, meaty stuff like this panini. It's a decent bite, and thankfully not as greasy as it could be. Three-cheese bread doesn't have as much savory flavor as you'd suspect, but there's plenty of guilt-inducing yumminess inside as this warm, pressed sandwich, filled with cheddar cheese, bacon and turkey breast. Sundried tomato ale mustard sounds like it'll have a monstrous kick, but either there isn't much there or it's just as bland as the bread. Considering the bacon and turkey are both smoked, there's a surprising lack of smokiness to the final bite. Still, none of this is surprising. You get a hot sandwich at Panera Bread and you know what to expect.

Hanger Steak

Hanger Steak at Echo & Rig

echoandrig.com

A

Echo & Rig Steakhouse strikes again. This place has done nothing but impress us, especially with its sumptuous sandwich offerings. Here, they've found the perfect roll—lightly crisp on the outside, fluffy yet firm on the inside—to stabilize the rich, earthy flavors of this steak sandwich, anchored by rare, fatty, flavorful hanger steak. If you're getting a good cut and you know how to cook it, this might be the best hunk of cow for a steak sandwich. It's juicy, charred on the outside, and as beefy as it gets. Adding a little spice are roasted Anaheim chiles, with some steakhouse-style richness added on in the form of sautéed spinach. Cutting through the decadence is a bit of preserved lemon and a tangy chimichurri sauce. Serious flavor overload.