Catfish Po-Boy

Catfish Po-Boy at Zydeco Po-Boys

zydecopo-boys.com

B-

The first shot at this promising new Cajun joint and sandwich haven is, well, promising. Downtown's Zydeco Po-Boys starts with Leidenheimer bread shipped straight from New Orleans, a wise and delicious move. Perfectly fried catfish, meaty fillets coated in crispy goodness, provide the foundation for this sandwich, finished off with provolone cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and a Creole spiced mayo. There's a nice, light crunch to this sandwich, and the fish is definitely in the spotlight, but it is in need of several healthy splashes of hot sauce. But that's on the table so you can do it yourself. We are very much looking forward to returning to Zydeco to get at the fried shrimp and debris sandwiches as soon as possible.

Overstuffed Lobster Roll

Overstuffed Lobster Roll at Del's Lemonade & Lobster Rolls

grandbazaarshops.com

C

Now I know it seems like Las Vegas has every kind of foodstuff you could imagine, and a decent to great version of each dish, too. But it's not completely true. One of my most sandwich-happy friends recently asked where to find a great lobster roll in Vegas, and I was dumbfounded. Should I send them to the transplanted Del's at Bally's Grand Bazaar Shops, a Rhode Island institution known for fresh, sweet, icy lemonade slushies and buttery delicious lobster 'wiches? Meh. This franchised version of Del's is a tiny little spot at this weird outdoor mall thing that just doesn't seem to be equipped to crank out a solid lobster roll. The soft, toasty, buttery roll is okay, and the sweet lobster meat coated in mayo-ish sauce and mixed with celery and dill is plentiful if mediocre. There could be more of it, I suppose, but after a couple bites you won't care. It doesn't pop with freshness, and that's what you want from this iconic sandwich. The hunt for a great Vegas lobster roll must continue.

Country Club

Country Club at Jimmy John's

jimmyjohns.com

B-

All these years I've been eating Jimmy John's subs and only ordering from the 8-inch sub sandwiches portion of the menu, eschewing the more meat-filled, slightly more expensive giant club sandwiches portion of the menu. Why? Well, the bread-meat-veggie proportions for the regular subs are just right. Moderation in all things, right? Still, the bigger sandwiches are pretty great, too, like the Country Club, crammed with turkey and applewood-smoked ham plus provolone, lettuce, tomato and mayo. It's a simple sandwich to be sure, but the ingredients are all delicious, which is the key factor why JJ's is way, way better than Port of Subs or Subway or whatever. The chewy-soft sub rolls make a much more satisfying meal with that much more meat inside. Give 'em a shot.