Double Shack Burger

Double Shackburger at Shake Shack

shakeshack.com

A

Since we got a little obsessed with Shake Shack this year (as it came to Vegas with not one but two locations) it only seems appropriate to close 2015 with another go 'round at the Shack and a definitive statement, for once and for all, whether it has tested our fast food burger loyalty to In-N-Out. As originally discussed last December upon our first-ever Shackburger tasting, the only way to properly compare the two chains is to get a double from both, and make sure they have the same toppings. So we did it. And In-N-Out still wins. Although every Shake Shack product reviewed here at allsandwich has received an A grade—and we love the fries and ice cream, too—the Double Shackburger, for all its indulgent, nostalgic deliciousness, just can't top the Double-Double. The beef is higher quality at the Shack, with thicker patties for more fatty flavor and greasy fun, and all the other ingredients are fresh and satisfying in all the right ways. But when it all comes together, turns out the champ is still the champ. Out of the many, many times we've grabbed a Double-Double at In-N-Out, it's never been anything other than perfect. Ever. We ate plenty of Shackburgers this year and enjoyed them all, but it wasn't as consistent an eating experience. It just wasn't. Love you, Shack. Don't be mad.

Sandwich Sundays presents: Spicy "Grilled" Cheese

Spicy "Grilled" Cheese

homemade

A

The secret to making a crunchy, gooey grilled cheese is to not grill it; use the broiler. And way too much delicious cheese. Thin tiles of Jewish rye got doused in olive oil and tossed in the oven, crispy toasted on one side and then flipped over, layered with thick slices of yellow jalapeño cheddar and aged white peppadew cheddar, melted to perfection, stacked together and flipped over a couple more times for a few minutes under the oven's flame. The end result: Cheese. Crunch. Yes.

Beef on Weck

Beef on Weck at Anchor Bar

anchorbar.com

B+

We love some chicken wings, but when we found out Las Vegas was getting its own version of Anchor Bar—the Buffalo bar where the wing was originated, according to legend—we were equally exciting to try the traditional Beef on Weck. Our first introduction to this northeast specialty was actually at the very first Buffalo Wild Wings franchise to come to Vegas. Believe it or not, back before it was the corporate mega sports bar chain it is today, BWW actually was trying to stay as loyal to Buffalo as it could be, and there was a Beef on Weck on the menu. But it wasn't as good as this one from the Anchor Bar inside the Venetian's food court. The kimmelweck roll is what makes this simple roast beef sandwich pop, its soft, fluffy texture and sprinkling of caraway seeds and coarse salt drawing out every savory note in the stack of thinly sliced beef. Served with some seriously spicy horseradish on the side, it's an easy winner. It's satisfying but also leaves you wanting more. It's everything Arby's should have been. And it goes great with a dozen spicy hot wings.

Asiago Ranch Chicken Club

Asiago Ranch Chicken Club at Wendy's

wendys.com

C-

Do the names of the types of chicken at Wendy's make sense? I mean, spicy is spicy, sorta, but it doesn't exactly explain that the spicy chicken is still breaded and fried. The plain breaded and fried chicken sandwich is called homestyle, which is confusing because nobody makes cardboard fried chicken at home. And this option is called grilled, which actually should be homestyle, but it's hard to say exactly how this chunk of poultry was cooked. All I know is it seemed like the best style of chicken to go with bacon, asiago cheese, ranch, lettuce and tomatoes. Because these toppings just don't seem like a good fit with a spicy or fried chicken chunk. And really, this doesn't go that well, either. But I'm not sure if it's the chicken's fault, or the sweet, gooey ranch sauce. Maybe they should call this chicken style "the boring."

Kefta Pita

Kefta Pita at Crazy Pita

crazypita.com

B-

Finally got around to trying Crazy Pita, a homegrown mini-chain serving Mediterranean food at malls and shopping centers and things, and it's pretty tasty. The gateway sandwich is this "kefta" pita, which is built around meatball-ish things made of beef—there's no lamb, but it's still heavily spiced so it tastes like the traditional Moroccan/Middle Eastern ground meat specialty. Wrapped in a soft, crispy-edged pita with creamy hummus, romaine lettuce, and a relish of marinated tomatoes and cucumbers with a bit of mint, it's a satisfying lunch bite, with a little more heat and flavor than we would have predicted. We'll be back, Crazy Pita.

The Grandfather

The Grandfather at Cheffini's

cheffinis.com

B

Most of the dogs at Cheffini's are instantly placed, upon first bite, into contention for our favorite dog in town. The Grandfather isn't quite up to that level, but it's still delightful, which proves Cheffini's is the top dog in Vegas. Even its second-tier franks kick ass. This dog is grilled and dropped into a soft bun before being layered with crisp bits of pork belly, chopped red bell pepper, pickled mango, crunched-up potato chips, caramelized onions and a fried quail egg—that's the thing that gets most people—and then fired up with a couple of sauces: spicy  mayo and basil aioli. The basil is hard to see but easy to taste, the mango adds sweet and sour, and the bacon and onions bring the richness. It's quite powerful.

Meatball Sandwich

Meatball Sandwich at Great American Food

greatamericanfoodlv.com

B

The oddly named Great American Food specializes in sandwiches, mainly of the Italian variety. Sure, you can grab a burger or a Reuben here, but at its core this is an Italian deli, so ... let's go meatballin'. On a toasty French roll, homemade all-beef meatballs—firm and well spiced—are slathered in melty mozzarella and fresh, bright marinara sauce. It's a nice hot bite through and through, super satisfying and flavored with familiar. If you like your sandwiches straight-ahead, maybe Great American Food is for you.