El Mexicano

El Mexicano at Cheffinis

cheffinis.com

A+

Congratulations! You are reading the 300th post at allsandwich. What an accomplishment this is for you! For almost five years now, you've been reading all about all kinds of delicious (and sometimes not-so-delicious) sandwiches in Las Vegas and many other places, demonstrating your commitment to this most important of foodstuffs. We salute you. And it's no coincidence that the 300th is an absolute treasure, maybe the best hot dog in Las Vegas. We've been fans of Cheffinis for years, happily and drunkenly munching its street cart goodies after wild nights downtown, and now these crazy-talented hot dog craftsmen have taken up permanent residence at Container Park. Do check out their new spot, and do sample El Mexicano. Somehow these guys make the bacon-wrapped and grilled frank into something that seems like it occurs naturally. It's like the skin of the dog is bacon, thin and crisp and savory and wonderful. Stacked on that meaty foundation are fresh chunks of avocado, onion and tomato, a bit of cilantro, plus a tangy green sauce, a tangier chipotle guava sauce, creamy garlic aioli and an acidic cherry pepper relish. It sounds like topping overkill but when you get a bite of everything—and you do, on almost every bite—it's absolute bliss, full, wild flavor balance with the familiar sensation of soft bun and snappy meat tube. The Cheffinis crew knows what they're doing.

Brioche Donut

Brioche Donut at Metro Pizza's beer and pizza dinner

at Lulu's Bread & Breakfast

metropizza.com

A

It's no surprise that one of the most epic ice cream sandwiches ever created was done so at Lulu's Bread & Breakfast, one of our favorite local sandwich depots and the offshoot of stalwart Vegas pizzeria Metro Pizza. The occasion: a multi-course pizza and beer pairing dinner that filled us so completely full, we wanted nothing to do with dessert … until this baby arrived. A sweet, fluffy cloud of brioche converted into doughnut form was split and stuffed with caramel-sea salt gelato, studded with chocolate chunks, and then drizzled with a little extra ganache and powdered sugar just for fun. The beautiful texture of the dough against the thick, creamy gelato was nothing short of ethereal. As if we weren't swimming in sandwich happiness already, Wasatch's Black O Lantern pumpkin stout was served along with this treat. Too much awesome.

Canteen Banh Mi

Canteen Banh Mi at Made L.V.

made-lv.com

A+

Leave it to the powerhouse team that brought us neighborhood favorite Honey Salt to create the banh mi of our dreams. As we've always lamented, the main problems with the typical banh mi sandwich are the frequent use of low-quality bread, a too-high bread-to-fillings ratio, and the common use of unfortunate ingredients between the bread. Everything's solved at Made L.V., the new Tivoli Village tavern, as a soft yet still substantial French roll—not sure if this is officially a baguette; it's a bit bulkier—is positively crammed with house-made paté and country ham, salty meaty satisfaction galore. The obligatory pickled veggie salad is here, along with fresh herbs, jalapeños and sriracha mayo, everything blending together in each bite for crispy, savory, fresh, creamy, spicy, beautiful balance. It's everything we love about banh mi elevated to the level this iconic sandwich deserves.

The Natural

The Natural at Farmer Boys

farmerboys.com

B-

I'm almost feeling Farmer Boys. The Natural is a third-pound patty of all-natural beef, ground and shaped to a nice, loose and juicy consistency, dropped on a fluffy, chewy potato bun and topped with two slices of American cheese, yellow onion shards, Thousand Island dressing and dill pickles. The double cheese meltiness and simple, classic toppings are quite pleasant, and the bun is impeccable. But it could use some lettuce crispness, and the meat is a bit bland. This seems to be a recurring threat with burger joints that go the natural/organic/farm-inspired route. We appreciate the plain beefy flavor of grass-fed cow, but that doesn't mean you can't season this bitch up. It's a solid burger, it just needs a little more attention.

Rueben

Rueben at MTO Café

mtocafe.com

A

We're not sure if the fine folks at MTO Cafe spelled this classic sandwich wrong on accident or on purpose, but we don't care. It's probably the best reuben in Las Vegas. One bite and you're overwhelmed by juicy, powerfully flavored corned beef … and then you realize this is corned buffalo. Boom. Mind blown. It's rich and tender and eats like a much fattier meat, and how this kitchen got this lean meat to taste so amazing is an act of pure wizardry. Top this majestic meat stack with melty Swiss, a Russian dressing-like "special sauce" and a bit of crisp sauerkraut, and you've got a powerful package enclosed in toasty rye. Even the fries are great! MTO already impressed us with its killer Hangover Burger; with this "rueben" staying on our minds, we have to wonder if this friendly breakfast and lunch joint—soon to expand to Summerlin—isn't secretly one of our top sandwich shops.